A visit from Tyler and Sara!

This last week was WAY TOO SHORT! Ty and Sara arrived on Sat. night and left us Thurs. afternoon. They really should have stayed at least another week, but we definitely made the most of it while they were here. We did the little tour around the city, visited the old souk and the new Pearl Island that they are building here. There was a trip to the lovely fish market in town as well as the one right on the water where the boats come in. We went to the camel racetrack, didn't see a race but watched them training and Tyler and Daudi got to ride one. Then the boys met a local Qatari man who trains hunting falcons and got us invited out to watch and stay for a traditional meal with them afterwards. John Watt and Lloyd Kneesch came over from Dubai for the weekend and Andre Martoni (a friend from Brazil who works in Dubai) came as well just overnight to see Tyler and Sara. So, it was super busy, but so much fun. We are exhausted from all the late nights and laughs, and so very very glad they came :0)

I have to give Tyler the credit for these pictures because he took most of them.

This is jet lag at its most glamorous :0)

Aunty Sara

....and here is our beautiful city, Doha

Would you think it could be home to such a place as THIS?? The boys made a little visit to the fish market one morning, so here is the fish they bought being cleaned. Does it look like something you'd want to eat for supper? :0)

The camel racetrack & training grounds

Tyler making deals with some trainers

Daudi's first ride, he's brave now :0)

...and this is how you haul camels from one place to the next-at 160km/hr or so

kisses for Daddy

Learning about Falcon Hunting

And here is the mighty falcon, a.k.a. hawk, to us from the west. They train these birds with pigeons which they release and then the falcon snatches it right out of the air. Apparently they will even take down small deer which the Arabs go hunting for in Iran and sometimes Pakistan. This is a sport they love, falconry and camel racing.

They keep them hooded so they are more calm and not trying to fly everywhere when its not their turn...it doesn't always work, but it helps :0)

Brave little sonny boy holding a falcon, no his mother DID NOT hold one! I still have issues with possible flutters.

Our Qatari hosts

Falcon experience cont'd

Waiting for supper.....for 4 hours :0) Next time we'll take a game!

Family picture in the bedouin tent

Dinner in traditional Arabic style-9:30pm, lamb grab, use your right hand ONLY!

Digging right in :0)

Yes, its a Cheetah, did you notice it in the corner of the tent in the picture where we are all eating? It was the pet of our Qatari host, not too friendly, I might add.

Some more adventures...

a visit to the old souq

nice arrangement of spices, hey?

...and a visit to The Pearl island, best of which was the rickshaw ride :0) The driver became a little flustered when Ty asked him if he could take us to the airport!

Jarv's hobby car, which is now RUNNING, but not quite drivable yet :0)
Seafood buffet dinner at the Sheraton with Andre Martoni from Brazil (Dubai), John Watt and Lloyd Kneesch.

Qatar sunset, you have to be quick to catch it!

Catch of the day...well someone's catch :0)

A quick trip to the dunes for a picnic.

the lovely 'Sheikah Sara'

...converted to local Qataris in only 5 days! They're naturals aren't they?

Winter in Qatar

This is what we do in the winter... :0) The weather is so perfect here these days, today it was 27 degrees outside with not a breath of wind! My car broke down last weekend, unfortunately, but we have been enjoying just staying home this week. Hope we get it back before our company arrives on Sat.! Jarvis is taking the entire next week off so we can all play with Tyler and Sara when they are here. Lloyd Kneesch and John are coming next Weds. from Dubai for the weekend as well. Fun times ahead! :0)

Yes, our bathtub is slightly BIGGER than our paddling pool,

but the kids don't notice :0)

What I've learned in 2009 :0)

I know there are a few of you who have been interested in reading about Down syndrome since Adair was born. As have I, and before we get too far along in this year I just wanted to share some of the things I’ve learned in this last year.

1) Down syndrome is NOT a disease. It is not contagious, nor can it be ‘cured’ or ‘healed. It is not caused by something the mother ate when she was pregnant.

2) Down syndrome is a genetic disorder in which there is MORE THAN USUAL information present on the 21^st chromosome. But basically, it is just like the genes that make everyone who they are, how they look (eye color, hair color, height, personality, etc.)

3) There are definite features associated with DS, however, these features can also be present in those who do not have it. Most interestingly, people with DS look more like their families than like one another.

4) Babies with DS are more LIKE other babies than they are different. As with children and adults who have Down syndrome. They have feelings like everyone else, they feel love, they feel pain, etc.

5) Babies with DS will learn to do everything that normal babies do, it just may take a little longer.

6) Babies with DS are not ALWAYS happy :0)

7) I am very glad we are not living in the 70’s, and thankful for the advances in education that have been made for kids with DS.

8) I suppose Adair having Down syndrome is a big part of what makes our family different/special, however, having Down syndrome is not what makes Adair special. It’s the way you can’t help but smile when she smiles or giggles at you, or the way she claps her hands when she likes something. The way she gives big sloppy kisses and snuggles right into your arms when she’s sleepy. And the way she kindly participates in Daudi’s games of bumper cars and wrestling. How pretty and sweet she looks with her sparkly eyes and her cute little pony tails. These are the things that make Adair special and we aren’t sure what we ever did without her :0)

Happy 2010

Happy New Year from our house to yours. This is what we look like on the first day of this year, so we'll see how gracefully we age in 2010 :0)