It's all fun and games...

...until someone loses an eye.

I'm sure we've all said that and laughed (especially those of us who have or work with children).

Today, I'm not so much with the laughing.

Today, baby N got cut on his eyelid. Though he seems absolutely fine now, it was a horrifying experience for me.

With a little veggie lentil in his teeth...

There is a play picnic table in our hallway, that little A uses for painting. He is drawn, like a moth to a flame, to this picnic table. He likes to climb up and onto the table and then sit there. I know this and have been meaning to move this table...but (like a few other things around here) I haven't gotten around to it.

Today, while he was on the picnic table, I was right there beside him, letting him explore his movement abilities. I had my hand on his back the whole time. When he stretched forward just a little too far and toppled, I caught him. But not before he managed to bang his eye on the corner of the bench that is right NEXT to the picnic table. He (of course) cried, and I (of course) comforted him ...and grew increasingly alarmed as I saw the blood on his right eye. If you recall from the last 'bonking' incident, I have little to no experience with toddler bumps and bruises (b/c little A was not an explorer).

Fortunately, my friend Brenda was over (just dropping off a toy for him) and thankfully she has TONNES of experience with toddler accidents and injuries. I just said "what do I do?" and she said "I'll get ice" and went to the kitchen. She met me at the diaper table where we compressed and iced (as much as we could) and baby N screamed (at least until we stopped compressing and icing). She talked me calmly through, and overall, it looks like he's going to have a cut and a bruise.

Still smiling...

The bleeding stopped quickly (which she said was good sign) and I gave him some Tylenol (which seemed to please him). After feeding him lunch, where he was more than happy to mug for the camera, he went for a nap.

You should see the other guy...

I should also be napping, but the adrenalin from this incident has just got me too wired and I can't sleep. I keep thinking about how lucky he was...just a little bit more one way and he would've banged his eyeball (and vitreous humour is one bodily fluid I can go my whole life without touching!!). Also, had he hurt his eye seriously, he would have to stay in this region long-term, as it's the only area I know where 'pirate' is still a viable career option.

Okay--now he's awake...I've got to go and assess him (again).

I promise to self-flagellate until all visible scarring disappears (and thereafter, whenever I look at the picnic table).

The Sunday Struggle

Papa's Famous Chinese Noodles for supper...mmmmm!!

This week I managed to get little A into bed and asleep by 11:15 a.m. Can you believe she STILL slept until 2:15 and had to be woken up to get ready for ballet (which of course, she didn't want to go to--she said "I'll go on Friday, okay mom?"). NOT okay little A. So, I told her we would go grocery shopping and just stop in and say hello to Ms. Jesse first (as we were both sure Ms. Jesse had missed her last week). Of course, once she saw Ms. Jesse and Ms. Jesse helped put on little A's ballet shoes, well...it was a done deal. The conversation turned from ballet shoes to the Winnie the Pooh clips little A was sporting (THREE colours--yellow, pink AND blue) as I limped and shuffled out the door.

This morning we had our third bicycling experience, and it was the best so far. I kept my hand on little A's back and she was so comfortable she even sped ahead of me a few times, laughing and screaming in delight. We went all the way to the end of the walking path, turned around and came back. There were a few 'tense' moments, (when little A dismounted her bike to inspect the ants swarming around the dead cockroach carcass, and when she stopped to pick flowers) where I was afraid that I would be pushing the bike home on my own again, but it didn't happen. Each time she hopped back up and pedalled through her tiredness all the way home. I was so very proud of her. She did not get 'fwustwated' once this time out, and neither did I.

Baby N is teething (again). Yesterday he had his hand deep in his gums and drool all the way down his face (to date, neither of my children have been droolers), so it was time to pull out the teething tinctures. Though I have noticed his personality is mildly more irritable than before, it's doubtful anyone else would know there was anything wrong with him, as he is still so cheery and playful.

Yesterday we had a lovely afternoon BBQ visit with Uncle Pete and our new friends, the Beresfords, who are moving back home to the UK this week. We heard that they were moving through our helper, who had her heart set on us buying some of their dressers drawers for her room. So, we went to check out what they were selling (and to make our helper happy) and hit it off with them. Though we have only known them for a short time, we really enjoyed meeting them and we hope to be able to meet up with them some time again in our travels.

It has already been suggested to us that we make an effort to get to know people who are moving IN to the country, rather than those who are on their way OUT.

Last night I created a 'to-do' list for myself (and my goal is to finish it all THIS week). I managed to cross off a few items today, one being to make the remainder of my obgyn appointments for B3. It is a little amazing (and scary) to think there are only three more appointments before we go in for the "big show". The date has been set as March 24 (although--I know a lot more about 'the best-laid plans' than I used to), and hopefully there will be no need for any 'emergency' visits or interventions this time around.

If it's possible, I am feeling even MORE tired and there is more discomfort than in the previous weeks. Breathing has become difficult, as has walking and moving. Thankfully, my cold has abated (yippee!!), so that's one less thing to be stressed about. I am actually giving up in carrying baby N around, and have accepted that I will have to have my helper carry him upstairs and bring him down again--though I still don't like it. Apparently, the elastic waistbands of all my pants have also 'given up' (I see it as an act of solidarity), and I now find myself sometimes wearing the 'cheshire grin of pregnancy' (kind of like 'plumber's crack', except it's a cute rim of round baby-belly) where my pants have slipped down and my top isn't long enough to make up the distance.

Little A would like to name the baby "Hugh" (which she pronounces 'whoo'), regardless of gender. Her friend Faith's little brother is named Hugh, and she is really in love with this name. Though we have not settled on a name yet, 'Hugh' definitely doesn't really match up with the names we have given our other children (which are Sanskrit based).

So...it's a cold...

...and not allergies as I had hoped. The snuggler was back in bed with me last night (as she assured me that I was getting better and she would not get sick) and I felt terrible for her. What kind of sleep could she have had with me getting up regularly to pee and then the sneeze-a-thons...10-12 in a row (a record even for me)?

Let's see...if the tickle in my throat started Monday(-ish), then hopefully it should be all mended by next Monday (so only three more days to go). Cross your fingers for me.

Despite my cold, we had a tasty dinner (or so I think as my tastebuds are not exactly at 100% with this cold) last night at Asha's restaurant in Khalidiyah Mall. Incidentally, 'Asha' was one of the names that I had liked for little A--but in the end we didn't choose it. I liked it for its softness and could already hear its pronunciation being butchered by so many back home (particularly those who ignore you when you tell them how something is pronounced and prefer to keep imposing their own interpretation of phonics on the world).

It was a 'bon voyage' dinner for Aunty Kathy, Charlotte and Steve, from Edmonton who were all flying out Friday morning to various destinations. Asha's is a popular restaurant chain, created by the famous Indian singer Asha Bhosle. We took along litle A (who resisted coming along until she was told she could wear her new 'plum velvet' party dress) and left baby N behind (as he usually eats dinner at 6 and is asleep by 6:30 pm). It was the second time we've eaten at this restaurant (the first time was with Kathy and Pete as well) and I remarked on how different the experience was, now that A was older. So much more enjoyable (she sat and almost ate an entire plate of pappadams on her own)!

Almost 'Asha'

We saw the plastic camel display that had been set-up in order to educate shoppers about improper usage and disposal of plastic bags. There has been a real push in the last year to switch people over from plastic bags to reusable bags. Eventually, all shops are going to be forced to use recycled plastic bags. However, the dates of implementation have continually been pushed back. There has been a lot of media attention of late, particularly when an art exhibit displayed a camel's intestine full of plastic bags (a leading cause of camel death). So now, they've launched a new campaign and are handing out free PAPER bags (although I noticed that the paper they've used is not recycled...and from what I have seen so far the 'paper and pulp' industry is non-existent in the UAE) to advertise it. 'A' for effort though--I applaud their attempts to make change for the environment.

Help Jamilah save our camels!!

Baby N: Petits Filous

When you're smiling...

Yesterday we took N to see Dr. Khalid at SKMC. If you remember, Dr. Khalid is the pediatric neurologist who is replacing Dr. Wasseem. As the appointment was late in the day, Peter joined us. Dr. Khalid was very friendly (perhaps he was warmed up as this is the second NS he has cared for in his career) and seemed positive about N's progress. He sent him off for some more bloodwork (to check C/K (creatine kinase) levels--if they are high, then it could indicate muscle deterioration), and fortunately it only took the nurses two tries (one on each arm) to extract the blood they needed. We will have results by Sunday.

I have been feeling a bit run down these last two days (it seems funny to write that--as I've generally been run down since last summer when I got pregnant again--or was it the April before that when I was pregnant with N...or was it....). Anyways, THIS TIME, there has been a mild cough that has been accompanying the tiredness. I was treating myself with just honey and juice and tea...and then yesterday, when we got home from the hospital, my body kicked things up a bit. I started sneezing and sneezing--my eyes puffed out of my head (or so it felt--but when I looked in the mirror I looked just fine) and I needed to constantly carry a tissue around to blow my nose (which was sometimes empty, although it felt drippy). So, it was either the mother of all allergic reactions OR the fastest acting killer virus (that I must've picked up from the hospital--probably from that kid walking around holding a cloth to cover his mouth and nose).

When you're smiling...

Peter helped out by taking the 'snuggler' to bed with him (and she helped out by cooperating), in the case that it was a cold and not an allergy. This morning I feel a bit better (much less sneezing) and I'm hoping that the Tylenol and tea combination will be enough to keep me going til the weekend (when I can rest without feeling bad about the little ones being without a parent). Today we only have one appointment to get through, with Dr. Anub, the physiotherapist. This will be our last appointment with him for a while. I would actually have cancelled it, but Dr. Khalid brought up a 'footwear' issue with us, and I want to check and see what Dr. Anub's opinion will be. Baby N (like his sister) is a devotee of the moccasin style baby shoe (to ensure proper foot muscle development) but Dr. Khalid thought he needed more 'support'. In my mind, more support means heavier feet and would make walking more difficult (not easier) for him. However, I will let the 'experts' weigh in (any out there?) and then try and make the best decision.

This morning, while little A had to pee (for some reason she is VERY reluctant to get up in the morning and pee in the toilet...she always waits until it is the most inconvenient time and then has to pee), I left baby N strapped in the high chair and helped her out. I ensured that all was out of range of his monkey arms, but apparently they go further than I think they can. He decided to release his 'tortured artist' soul, using the medium of greek yogurt and petits filous (raspberry). Mostly, he used himself as the canvas. The artworks are littered throughout this blog, for your enjoyment.

The whole world smiles with you!!

Just an update:

1. Dr. Anub feels strongly that baby N should learn to walk in bare-feet, as this is optimal for foot and arch development. He feels that we should not even consider any orthopedic shoes for him until he is at least 4 or 5 years old OR unless he presents some specific problem (which he is not currently doing). Baby N has normal baby feet and placement. He does not foresee any issues for him.

I am happy that my research on children's footwear is supported, and this is good news for my stockpile of boy's Robeez shoes.

2. Dr. Khalid phoned me (just now...and the test was yesterday--WOW!) and told me the C/K enzyme test levels have come back in the 'normal' range. This is excellent news as it indicates that we do not need to be concerned about muscle deterioration.

The ants go marching one by one...hurrah!! hurrah!!

We've had a problem with ants on our second floor for about a month now. It has been a real challenge to figure out where they are coming from (as usually they come in through improperly sealed doors). The ant bait that we've been using has been completely useless, and the sprays you can buy here are dangerous (most are not clearly labelled as to whether they are for indoor or outdoor use). Yesterday, there were more ants than I had seen before. Whereas there are usually only two or three meandering around on the landing, there were over twenty, and they seemed more purposeful and had a clearly delineated trajectory (or so it seemed).

So, as I was heading out for my ob appointment (and little A LOVES bugs), I asked my helper to try and track them to discover where they were coming from. We both suspected that perhaps the upstairs balcony in N's room was the source, and she was game to spray it (on the outside) for me.

I noticed that evening, as I was walking the upstairs hallway, that I was no longer sharing the space with tiny feet (so much more ROOM now for me to walk). After speaking to Malou, she told me she found the ant's nest. It seems they were coming from N's bathroom (aka 'storage space'). They had dug up the grout and were streaming out of the hole. So, she sprayed the hole and surrounding area, and VOILA!! No more ants!!

Now I have to follow up and have maintenance come and fix the hole, so that we do not have to use the insecticide regularly.

Just another example of how little things can make such a big difference !

Hot Wheels

Naniji, this dress is officially 'too small' now

We had a great time in Dubai on Saturday and managed to get in a full-day. Little A wore her 'yellow ballerina dress' (which is way too small for her, so she decided to compensate by adding pants), we shopped, N had his first taste of deep fried puri and A got to drive a green car around Ibn Battuta Mall. I remembered to take a soo-bee (pacifier) for the ride home, and so as soon as we started back, little A's eyes glassed over and it was a peaceful and quiet ride home. I was tired...but overall, it was a great day, and both our little ones were awesome.

Today, on the other hand, has been very rough.

Thanks for the helmet Andrea.

I think she likes it more than the bike!

After taking little A out for a spin on her new 'Hot Wheels' bike (why are the boy's bikes so much better quality than the girls?) and having to push her all the way back because she was 'tired and fwustwated', I collapsed on the sofa bed. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of lying down on my back (and I should know better). On a good day, it is hard enough for me to roll from one side to the other. On our sofa bed, it is impossible--for some reason my hips tend to lock into position and I deal with excruciating pain when I try to move. SO...I tried for about 20 minutes, and then gave up. I asked our helper to take little A upstairs, and once she was gone, I cried my way through the pain and rolled over. Lesson learned (at least until the next time I am exhausted).

I had a lovely visit with a new neighbour (and hopefully a new friend). Sally and her family (Eric, Joss, Niels and Lotta) have just moved here from Ireland. We first met at a book-swap a few weeks ago and she remarked on our common families (three children within a similar time spread). However, Sally's family is about seven years ahead of ours. Interestingly, I learned that she feels her middle child is hypotonic (like baby N), and that she has just found ways to build muscle tone into his regular activities (small things like using a straw to build his mouth muscles, as she says his speech is sometimes difficult to understand). She seems to be such a lovely lady, and I hope that I will make time to get to know her more (although once B3 arrives, I know that my life outside of these four walls will cease to exist for a time).

Little A's favourite 'doll' for the stroller

Like many, we have been following the news about all the troubles in Libya. For those who may be worried (like my parents), I assure you that none of this violence or chaos is trickling over into the UAE. Through friends, we met a Calgarian family who had been living in Benghazi. We were quite relieved to read that they left Libya on February 19. The next day, our newspaper reported that Benghazi had been taken over by protestors--seems they got out just in time. For those that are still there, we hope that this violence will end quickly (and that MQ: (a) finds a bottle of Clairol that is a better match to his natural shade and (b) crawls back under that rock he's been hiding under for the last 20 years or so.)

Surly Mama...

So...it seems like we're in the 'home stretch'--just a little over four weeks to go.

This morning I was feeling a bit 'surly'--grouchy...pissy....hormonal...assertive--call it what you will. This morning our favourite breakfast joint had 'high security procedures' in place, for the IDEX show (military conference). Usually their 'high security' is just a scanner, which my children and I just walk around (due to my pregnancy and their tiny bodies).

TODAY, however, I was directed behind a 'curtain' where I was greeted by three Emirati (I'm assuming) ladies. They didn't really seem to know why I was there, so I reminded them that they were supposed to pat me down. What seemed like hours later (remember: 8 months pregnant and hungry) Number 3 stood up and gave me a nice little pat on the back. She held baby N (probably more because he's so cute and she wanted to give him a snuggle) under the pretense of 'frisking' him. When she passed him back to me, Number 2 decided it was important to tell me how to hold my son 'the right way' (and honestly--her suggestion was to put him on my hip, which is exactly where he was to begin with). Seriously--how else can you hold a baby if your belly looks like THIS:

Belly feels the home STRETCH more than anyone...

Will you believe what popped out of my mouth??

I icily replied: "This is my THIRD baby" (pointing at my belly), "I think I know how to hold him properly".

ROWR!!!!

Where did THAT come from?? Normally I just smile and nod politely when I get unsolicited parenting advice (I have LOTS of practice).

She looked a bit confused, and then Number 1, who was sitting closest to me 'translated' my words. As I promptly (carefully) turned on my heel (flat, birkenstock orthodpedic shoe) and stormed (shuffled) out, I saw her nodding in understanding (but understanding exactly WHAT I wonder??).

Hmmmmm....what could have put me in such a 'mood' this morning??

I've had a LOVELY week. I've visited with friends, had a pedicure (my toes look GREAT!), watched an episode of Supernatural (love!love!love! those Winchester boys!) and we have a LONG weekend. I've even been shopping and found some great sales (all stuff for the little ones). We've had some great 'family time', and we are all getting very excited and eager to meet our newest addition (although a name is still eluding us...we are VERY close).

Back in business

Our Pool Party

Our pool that is.

On Monday, little A and Peter braved the waters, although, due to my 'busy' schedule (groceries and a play-date) they ended up dipping in late in the day (around 5 pm). Though the water was warm, the wind on their wet skin was cool, and it wasn't a very pleasurable experience for either of them.

Little Mermaid

On Tuesday, I fully intended to get her in the pool around 11, but after learning that one of my friend's here was 8 weeks pregnant (congratulations Sharon!), I was too excited and happy to share the 'baby buzz' with her, and didn't make it back as early as I had planned. I tried to take her around 1 pm, but she wasn't cooperative and so we napped instead. We ended up finally getting into the pool around 3:45, and although we also had a bit of wind to contend with, it was altogether a more fun time than the previous day.

Today, I plan to hit the 11 a.m. mark for swim-time. Baby N is napping right now, so we may try and dip in a bit earlier. N has been crazy busy today. He has been 'helping' out around the house. Mostly by rearranging furniture. I enjoyed watching him move the chair and table around in the play area (and it was endearingly sweet when he got his head stuck in the chair and couldn't quite figure out how to get it out). This morning he tried to help himself to some water from the water cooler too. He is VERY curious and making an effort to make up for lost time. He even discovered a new way to get around the picnic table--by going OVER it.

Suffice it to say, I am fairly tired already (and it is 10:30 in the morning). I can't wait until MY nap time this afternoon. I think it might be one of those rare days where I ask my helper to play with him and put him down for a sleep when he is tired.

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The pictures that are sprinkled throughout this post are all from Friday, February 18. It is a long weekend (in honour of the Prophet's birthday on the 15th). We have really enjoyed a wonderful 'family' day (despite the fact that I've been up since 4 a.m.--in addition to getting up three time last night to pee). Between 11 & 12 is a great time to swim. The sun's heat counteracts the cooling properties of the wind. We even felt comfortable taking baby N in the water today and it was delightful to see those little sausage legs kicking and splashing around!

Loving the float-boat

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Day 4 of 4

...and the pool heater is installed and humming away outside of our villa. It sounds like there is a big truck that is idling outside...continuously...but it will be well worth it to get into our pool once again (which I understand will be 32 degrees by Tuesday).

FRIDAY:

We had a very nice weekend. Little A was thrilled to get her 'Biguana' (the green iguana that Peter brought her back from England). It was QUITE pricey (certainly way more than anything I've priced out on amazon.com, but part of the proceeds go to the WWF--we all have to support the wrestling industry in our own ways ;-)). Baby N got nothing, but his papa's love and attention--at his age he is too little to need or want anything more than that. We spent a quiet Friday at home, after filling our tummies with the offerings of our usual buffet breakfast (and I must say the hollandaise was especially yummy on Friday).

A and Peter spent some time building 'scooters' with Tinker-toys. I must comment on Peter's improved design skills. Each time he builds something, it gets better. I have to remember to pull-out the Tinker-toys when our engineering friends come out for a visit---see what kind of difference a degree makes.

A's Scooter

Friday night I had an awful (pregnancy hormone filled) sleep. It was not the best of nights, as the usual painful roll-overs were complicated by crazy baby hormones. However, we all had a sleep-in the next morning, and had a good day regardless.

SATURDAY:

Peter was thrilled that Tiger made it into the next round, and drove out to Dubai to see him play. He was also happy that some guy named Steve didn't break his camera (and so was I frankly--otherwise I would've had to hunt down this Steve fellow and kick his ass). He managed to get some nice pictures and a memory that will last him a while (until Tiger needs more money and hears the sound of dirhams jingling in the UAE). Who knows when he would've had the chance to see his golf hero play if we had been living in Edmonton.

A is disappointed that THIS is the Tiger papa went to see in Dubai

Later, little A and I made Valentine's Day cookies. I was very disappointed with Betty Crocker and her on-line recipe--which was absolutely CRAP for cookie-cutter cookies. It was nothing more than a shortbread recipe, spiced up with ginger and food colouring. Those who bake know that shortbread is not a friend of the cookie-cutter (press yes--cutter no), and so, in order to not break my little girl's hearts (literally), there was a lot of "refrigerate, roll, cut and repeat". The results look great (thanks Andrea for the sprinkles--we finally found a use for them) and taste yummy--but I am on the hunt for a better recipe for cookie-cutter cookies (anyone?) for the future.

We used to call her 'bunny' as a nickname

We had an unexpected but welcome visit with my friend Farzana, and her husband Kamal. Farzana was one of the first friends I made here, at a Khalifa Ladies Coffee Morning (one of the only groups that would let me attend with little A). She is a lovely lady and I have missed her a lot, since she has moved (temporarily I hope) back to Scotland, while her daughter completes her last year of high school. She was thrilled about all the growth and changes in baby N, and I was laughing, thinking about how different things would be if HE was the baby I had brought to the coffee morning...he would not have sat still for a minute, and I wouldn't have had a chance to meet or speak to anyone there.

SUNDAY:

This morning, I made TWO trips to the New Al Noor Hospital. I had a routine ultrasound scheduled, but left my referral form at home...so, I had to drive all the way back home and get it (30 minutes round trip). What a pain, but better than the alternative, which was re-booking the the appointment. Lucky me, I didn't wait longer than two minutes when I got back with my form.

I was seen by the same doctor who scanned me with baby N, and was surprised to learn she was actually the wife of my obgyn. Apparently, baby N, with his 'mystery' medical condition is quite a memorable baby, and she recognized me right away. She told me that she remembered my scan with N quite clearly and shared that she had known something was wrong immediately; she told me he was all bunched up on one side of my uterus, and would not move when she prodded him in order to look at my placenta. This was not information she shared with me at the time. I remember being annoyed at being called back again to the hospital to have a second ultrasound to check the placenta. It was the second ultrasound that prompted the emergency c-section that brought baby N into the world.

She was very pleased that N seems to be so greatly improved. I loved when she told me that both she and "Marwan" (that's DR. MARWAN to me) were both quite concerned about N at the time of his birth, as there seemed to be no explanation for his condition. She was also happy to report that B3 is a very healthy and active baby, weighing about 2.2 kg.

Little A surprised me by printing her first letter "A" on her Aquadoodle. We were just playing around, keeping her awake before ballet class, and I noticed she had drawn what appeared to be an "A". So I asked her "what is this?" and she told me "it's the letter A". I asked her to do another one, and she did THREE more. I was very proud of her. I have to be honest and say that I do not push her at all to learn letters and numbers (I know--not very 'teacher-like' of me). So, I am very pleased that she is demonstrating her own interest in this, via her 'alphabet book' and today's letter writing experience. It is my hope that she will love learning for the act itself.

Peter Comes Back...

Obviously, I will be making the most of my last (for a time anyway) episode of Fringe. Maybe I will treat myself and watch TWO!!

The week has gone well. I think the most difficult of the three babies I currently have, is the one I am incubating. Little A and N have been wonderful (with N getting up once a night to talk and sing, and then putting himself back to sleep) and have made this an easy week.

Today, little A surprised me by having her first sleep in HER bed in HER bedroom!! Though it was only nap-time, it's a start. She was considering sleeping there for bed-time, but as the night drew closer, she relapsed and wanted to sleep with me. She is now snuggled away on my king-size Tempur-pedic.

Baby N suffered TWO bonks today (I'll tell you--the sound of your baby's head hitting hard tile is very UNPLEASANT). I watched the first one happen in slow-motion, and I blame B3 for getting in my way of catching him in time. He was on his scooter, and should hopefully have learned the lesson that he cannot move around while his feet are still on the foot-rest. The second time he was on a little box and somehow forgot to 'step-down' before he got off. Not having experience with an 'active' child who gets bumps and bruises, as A was very sedentary, I was very alarmed and tried to talk myself down from 'oh my God--what if he has a concussion!!'. Fortunately, neither bump happened from a high elevation, and I cannot see any signs of bruising from the first bump (which was definitely the harder of the two).

I am thankful for the rock-heads they both inherited from their father.

I wish him a safe flight home and hope that he will be able to see 'Tiger' this weekend, as he had hoped. Wishing Tiger good luck in the first round, so that he can play on Saturday and Peter can see it.

Peter Goes to England...

...and I get to spend some time with this guy:

Seriously...when Peter goes away, I get to catch up on MY television shows (the ones he has no interest in watching).

I knew, when Mark Valley (formerly a reincarnation of Jack Devereux from Days of Our Lives) appeared in the opening scenes, that I would enjoy the show Fringe. Not only did I like the paranormal, X-files vibe, he's a hell of a lot easier on the eyes than Fox Mulder. So, this week I've been spending my 'me-time' in the evenings, eating supper and watching Fringe.

The days this week have not been very busy, and I've been taking it easy (as much as I can) and just starting with the 'nesting' a little bit. We finally found a ladder to cover the windows in little A's bedroom (that were 4.5 m up--someone who designed that feature should be fired...and likely already has been...it is an Aldar development after all). Now we can use that bedroom, since we have more control over the amount of light that shines in.

I managed to attend a book-swap on Monday, where I got 10 new books to read (including one old favourite, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven", to keep). I also met some newbies to Al Raha (and Abu Dhabi) and felt, for the first time, like a seasoned veteran of ex-pat living. Though it was a short visit, as I took A with me and it was very close to lunch, I managed to squeeze in some tea and conversation as well. A received some very unwelcome hugs from our hostesses son, which helped to hurry our departure along.

Yesterday we learned that N had been booked for another physiotherapy appointment today, thus cancelling my plans to have a friend come over for tea. When we arrived, Dr. Anub was running late, but once we got settled he asked me "so...what are we doing here now?". He believes that N is now caught up in his 'milestones' and believes he should be walking within the next 2-3 months. This did not stop him from booking us in for another appointment in two weeks (gotta love the insurance pre-approval system). I told him that we would attend the next appointment, but suggested that we keep the appointments on a monthly basis after that, so that Dr. Anub can follow his progress and see if there is any need for referral for anything down the line.

So far he can only put it in reverse

Hopefully by week end Insha'Allah (god willing) we will have a fully-functioning pool heater. The men from EMCO arrived yesterday with the unit we had purchased back in October (that's how long 6-8 weeks is in Abu Dhabi time). After they helped put up the foil on the windows to block out the sun in little A's room (yes--really), they began the installation of the pool heater, which apparently is a four day job. Today is day 2 of 4.

I also have to give some positive feedback to the Etisalat call-centre employee who helped me out this morning. We have had no internet connectivity since yesterday afternoon (don't ask me why) and he managed to talk me through the fix and reset over the phone. And get this....it actually WORKED!!

This allowed us to Skype a 'happy birthday' to Grandma in Edmonton. Apparently there was no birthday celebration for Grandma today (they have scheduled one for Friday), but she was very pleased to have received the birthday card and Chinese New Year's cards we sent, yesterday (thanks Emirates Post). (***Side Note: I have noticed that it only seems to take about 10 days for us to send mail to family and friends back in Canada--it's mail that comes this way that is unpredictable.) As with most of the Skype calls we make where A is involved, I understood little to none of the conversation that took place. I couldn't hear Peter's mom at all, as A was either singing or talking the entire time. However, I think she enjoyed the on-line visit from her grandchildren, and we hope she had a good day.

Our Chinese New Year Lunch

Our 'Gung Hay Fat Choy' cards

According to Little A's books, Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated with dim sum or little tastes of food. However, as 3 out of 5 (including Phinn) of us in this family are vegetarian, this wasn't going to be a part of our celebration. So, we continue in our own way of making new traditions for our own family, and had our own (very small) lunch party.

We invited our friends Pete ("Uncle Pete") and Ajay (a young Calgarian who has recently transplanted himself here--"two years" he states, "in and out"). Everyone had a good time, including Phinn, who was so happy to be included, instead of being kenneled somewhere upstairs (which we usually have to do for bigger gatherings with lots of children).

I wanted to make green onion cakes. They have always been one of my favourites when going out for Chinese in Edmonton. I had a recipe that I had stashed away from the Edmonton Journal for years. Peter's mom had tried it out (with tasty success I might add) when she came last year for a visit. Her only adjustment was the shape, as she found the green onion bits kept falling out when she tried to flatten and roll out each cake into a circle.

So, I tried it this year (with some 'help' from little A). After getting everything prepped, I began to work on the dough. It was an immense failure, and I found myself very frustrated and dumping 7 cups of runny dough in the garbage (leaving me with a whole bowl of green onion bits and a bad mood). My helper saw my state, and offered to help mix the batter the second time around, as I didn't possess the right amount of upper body strength due to the pregnancy. So, we started again--this time only with a half recipe. Thanks to her stirring and patience, we managed to get it right this time. The green onion cakes turned out beautiful (and round). They could have used a bit more salt--but we'll make sure and remedy that next time around.

We also served salad rolls (Peter's absolute favourite) and he ended up gorging himself (complaining of sleepiness and chills, which abated as his food digested). I contributed a crunchy peanut sauce (at Peter's request--normally we go for smooth) and it tasted great. I need to remember to prepare that sauce in advance though--I am always rushing last minute to do it, because I always forget about it.

For dessert we had the (very traditionally Chinese) Toblerone chocolate fondue with fruit. It was very nice (as it always is) and helped the fruit go down just so much quicker than usual. I was pleasantly surprised that Ajay did his part to help finish the dessert--Pete had to leave a bit earlier, and I was afraid that being a guy, Ajay might not be into dessert. I already knew Peter was not going to be very helpful (he looked like he might be carrying baby 4 for us by that point).

Here are just a few things I will remember:

1. Uncle Pete's first wrap: He was so determined that he would be able to unstick it and get it to lie flat on the plate.

His optimism is one of the reasons we love him!

2. N wants the party to be a smashing success: I bid adieu to my 'family heirloom' salad bowl as N pulls it from the table. My mom likely bought this bowl from Pearson's in Camrose--she'll be thrilled her grandson was the one who helped make sure it didn't end up in a garage sale one day. I didn't use it for salad very much, but Peter thought it was perfect for rice papers, and so it stayed.

Unexpected Clean-up

A asks "we still love him, don't we?"

3. Uncle Pete catches the fly (with his BARE HANDS)--need I say more?

4. Ajay arrives (a little late) from his side-trip to Al Ain. We are still not sure how he managed to head in that direction and it will always remain a mystery. Phinn is thrilled to meet someone who appreciates his charms and need for constant and continuous belly-rubbing. (*sorry, no picture--use your imagination)

5. Little A gives out hugs and hong bao to our guests as they leave. She surprises us all by patting "Mr. Ajay's" leg (the first time I have seen her initiate a hug).

We really enjoyed ourselves. I think that we did well imparting the celebratory spirit of Chinese New Year for our little ones (with a little help from our friends). Next year, we will build on our celebration, to make it bigger and better. Maybe we will be lucky enough to be joined by some of our family from back home (or maybe we can just go to China!!).

Confucius says: "The family who bathes together stays together".

The Lion Dance

The Lion Dancers Prepare

On Thursday I took the kids (and our helper) to the Shang-ri-la Hotel to see their first Lion Dance. Little A was very excited, and so it was that despite the fact that I had food poisoning and had been up 1/2 the night in the bathroom, I dragged myself out of bed and out the door.

"A Real Chinese Girl"

It was well worth it. Once we actually FOUND the event (which had been incorrectly advertised as occurring at the Souk, rather than the hotel), little A was in equal parts terrified and mesmerized by the shaggy, prancing lions and the loud drumming. I think she was delighted to watch her Chinese New Year books come to life! She was complimented on her 'authentic' looking Chinese outfit (a lady commented that she looked like a "real Chinese girl" to which I replied "she IS a real Chinese girl--her dad is Chinese"). Though I tried hard, it was difficult to get pictures of her, as it was almost impossible to peel her off my leg long enough to snap a shot (and that is why you see my nose in the above picture--she is sitting on a counter attached to my neck).

Please explain why people still ask if N is a boy or a girl...

Baby N loved it. He (obviously) had no clue as to what was going on, but seemed to enjoy the loud drumming, and the spectacular colours. I was pleased that he was curious, rather than scared. Overall, it was a splendid display of sound and colour--very stimulating for all of us.

Happy to have found a seat

The good times lasted until around 2 pm. We arrived home at noon, and though I was still completely wasted, my spidey-sense told me something was up when little A wanted to go to sleep. I was grateful for the opportunity and jumped at the chance (don't worry--I also experienced the guilt about leaving N in someone else's care) for more sleep. Just before 2, A sat up in bed and her first experience with food poisoning began.

Fortunately, she has mastered the art of the 'vomit bucket', and she managed to empty out the contents of her stomach before bed-time. As she did not miss any sleep at night-time, she was still cheerful and playing for the rest of the day. She just had this awesome ability to stop whatever she was doing instantly, grab the bucket, vomit, go to the bathroom, clean up, rinse the bucket, and then pick-up right where she left off.

By the next morning we were both keeping food down again, but decided against the usual breakfast (buffet) plans. We were both also still quite tired, and took Peter's day off as an opportunity to sleep and rest and much as we could. I could tell that A was still feeling pretty run-down by how little coaxing it took to get her to lie-down with me, and how quickly those little rests turned into sleep-times.

How I felt pretty much the ENTIRE day

Confucius says: He who likes to drink mango-shake, should never order it from 'The Coffee Shop' at Dalma Mall.

Gung Hay Fat Choy: Welcome Year of the Rabbit

The house is cleaned, the knives are covered, the clutter cleared (well--mine anyways) and the little ones are asleep. In order to get some rest (much-needed after a busy day of 'de-cluttering') I am going to share our Chinese horoscopes with you (and perhaps you would like to take some time and read about yourself too). Peter and I liked this site for our horoscopes as it gives you the opportunity to explore your horoscope more in depth (when you click on 'The Five Types of ...'). It breaks the years down by elements.

Myself (I am going first, because this is MY year):

WOOD RABBIT - 1915, 1975, 2035

When Wood is exalted in this lunar sign already governed by Wood, it could produce a generous and especially understanding Rabbit who will be too charitable at times for his own good. No doubt he has real and solid ambitions, but often he is intimidated by authority and may choose to ignore mistakes made in his presence in order to maintain the status quo. As a result, others are tempted to take advantage of his sympathetic and permissive attitude.

However, this type of Rabbit usually works out well. He thrives in large corporations or other institutions where he can slowly and diplomatically climb the ladder of success, one rung at a time. Group effort and togetherness appeal to him and give him the kind of security and reassurance he needs. But because of his innate desire to feel part of the group, he may become a bit too bureaucratic and hedge when he has to make a decision that might offend people or set a precedent for a controversial case. In his refusal to meddle or take sides, he may end up hurting everyone, including himself. He should be more discriminating and decisive and take the necessary steps to insulate himself against those who prey on his generous nature. As he is one who is able to bend gracefully without ever breaking, this Rabbit will have no trouble fitting in anywhere he chooses.

Peter (next in line to the throne):

FIRE DRAGON - 1916, 1976, 2036

The most righteous, outgoing and competitive of all Dragons, the Fire Dragon will expect a lot from everyone. But while he may be demanding and aggressive, he is also blessed with enormous energy and has a lot to offer in return. The trouble is that he may go around with an air of superiority plus authority and make people fear or shy away from him. His leadership qualities are often marred by his desire to be treated like the Messiah. Fire matched with his forceful lunar sign will give him overzealous and dictatorial inclinations. He pushes too hard even where there is little resistance.

In reality, he is an open and humane person given to impartiality and uncovering the truth at all costs. His criticisms are objective and he has the power to arouse the masses with his vibrant personality. A natural empire builder, he will look toward the supreme order of things, with himself at the helm, of course.

Because the Fire Dragon is often enveloped by insatiable personal ambition, he is short-tempered, inconsiderate and unable to put up with anything less than perfection. He also overgeneralizes or jumps to conclusions, frequently lumping people into categories without allowing for or even perceiving their individual differences.}

Nonetheless, here is a performer of the highest degree who could easily be a source of inspiration to his fellowman and a personality who will catch the public eye - when he learns to master his negative traits and communicate more humbly with others.

Phinnaeus:

WOOD ROOSTER - 1885, 1945, 2005

An expansive type of Rooster who can be more considerate of others and have a wider outlook on life. Although he is much less stubborn and opinionated, he still has the tendency to complicate matters and get caught in a maze of his own making. He should learn to contain his enthusiasm and to avoid overexerting himself and expecting everyone else to have the same stamina and devotion that he has. No matter how well meaning his intentions may be, prescribing unrelieved clockwork and regimentation may drive his subordinates crazy.

Wood makes him progress-oriented, and when Wood is matched with his virtuous qualities of honesty and integrity, he will excel in his performance and his charts and graphs will amaze everyone.

Open-minded, fair and sociable, he can give unselfishly of himself to the welfare of others. He will seek to contribute to or improve existing social conditions. Desirous of congeniality, he will seek close association with the people he works with and will have excellent record of reliability. Still, he will be basically a Rooster and he will not water down his biting comments when inflamed and will always work to protect his security. Life will be a dream for him if he does not take on too many high-flying projects all at the same time.

Little A:

FIRE pig - 1887, 1947, 2007

Fire will conduct powerful and intense emotions to this courageous pig. He will display stouthearted heroism in all his endeavors and could follow his plans through with pigheaded determination.He could reach the highest level of achievement or fall to the lowest depth of degradation, depending on which path he chooses and how tight a rein he has over his immense energy and sensuality.

The Fire pig will never fear the unknown; intrepid, optimistic and trusting in his own innate ability, he will try his luck at anything and succeed against vast odds. He is motivated by love and will try to accumulate wealth in order to provide a gracious life style for his all-important family. He doesn't mind doing favors for anyone, even strangers, and will be famous for his generous handouts to friends.
When he is in his negative state, this pig can be willful, bullying and guilt-ridden, but generally he is characterized by largesse and lack of prejudice. He will favor manufacturing or labor-oriented enterprises because he will enjoy employing a large number of people if given the opportunity

Baby N:

EARTH OX - 1889, 1949, 2009

This is an enduring although less creative type of Ox who is always faithful to his duties. He knows his limitations and realizes his imperfections quite young in life. He will shine in any career he decides to undertake as he is practical, industrious and prepared to pay the price demanded for success. He contributes his share willingly and will favor practical and worthy endeavors. He looks for security and stability and will work efficiently with these two master goals in mind.

Although he may not be sensitive or very emotional by nature, he is capable of sincere and lasting affection and will be loyal and steadfast to his loved ones and his principles.He fights for constant advancement of his station in life and will endure difficulties and suffering without complaint. Purposeful and determined, this Ox will go far; it will be hard to push him back because he will never surrender captured ground. He may be the slowest but is the surest of all the Oxen.

B3: (no pictures as yet)

METAL RABBIT - 1891, 1951, 2011

This type of Rabbit could be sturdier physically and mentally than Rabbits belonging to other elements. He will not be as compromising either. He has unshakable faith in his own powers of observation and deduction and more often than not he is convinced he has the right answer and solutions to his problems. He can assume responsibility admirably well and will display a good deal of initiative in his work.
Metal matched with his animal sign will make him more preoccupied with his desires, goals and creative urges. He will be more cunning, but his ambitiousness will be carefully concealed with cool logic and intelligence.
A connoisseur par excellence, he will know how to live and will savor the good things life has to offer in a refined way. While he may be indifferent to the opinions of others, he is emotionally and physically moved by good art, music and other forms of beauty. His basic self-assurance and discerning eye will make him an excellent judge of any kind of creative art forms; he may become a collector of great distinction, if he has the means, because of his impeccable taste. Whatever career he chooses he will make his mark early as he is naturally a thorough and devoted worker.
But like all true romantic spirits, this type of Rabbit could be inclined to dark moods, and works well only when he is sufficiently inspired. Ardent in love and with great depth and foresight, still he will allow only a handful of people into the inner sanctum of his life because of his many hidden inhibitions.

Natural Urban Mamas

http://www.naturalurbanmamas.com/

Perhaps it is just my week for excellent customer service--but I have to share this little story.

When A was just over a year (and toothless), I purchased a dark-cherry amber teething necklace for her, from the above mentioned company. They were a relatively young business in Edmonton, and I was happy to get something natural and support small business in Edmonton as well. I am not sure how much it actually helped her teething, but it is a lovely necklace, and she has worn it ever since the day it was delivered to our home in central Edmonton. Over the years, we have received so many compliments, and because she has worn it for so long now, it is just a part of her.

I wanted to establish a new 'family tradition' for the family I was creating. I hoped that my children would keep these necklaces to treasure when they got older and wonder at how they were so small. Perhaps one day, they would find themselves choosing to continue the tradition with their own children.

When I got pregnant again, I wanted our second baby to have a similar teething necklace. After searching around, I found them very difficult to find (very unusual, as amber is a very popular material for jewelry in this region). What I could find was not of great quality and definitely not designed to withstand the tugs and bites of little hands and teeth. So, I returned to the original on-line shop and got the purchase sent to my family, who then had it delivered to us. I was a bit disappointed that the dark cherry beads had been discontinued, but thought that it might be nice for each of my children to have something unique as well.

Thanksgiving 2010

Then, along came baby N. It was a LONG time before his neck was strong enough to wear the necklace (I believe he first wore it to our belated Thanksgiving dinner). I remember feeling so 'thankful' (and how appropriate, considering the event) that he was finally strong enough to support his own neck, and therefore able to wear the necklace without it constantly pressing into his skin. That was also the same day he busted out the sound 'ma-ma' (another reason to be thankful).

One day, as he became more active, I found some bits of the amber necklace in his play-pen. I was really concerned, as he is definitely an 'oral' little guy, and everything goes into his mouth. Fortunately, I could tell that I had recovered an entire bead, and that nothing had been ingested. Had I still been living in Edmonton, I would have likely contacted the company with a complaint, but as I live in the United Arab Emirates, I felt that complaining would be a pointless act.

I kept the necklace on (as N is also more actively growing teeth than his sister did), and have just monitored the other beads. To date, they have all remained on the strand. However, I must admit, that whenever I see the spot for the missing bead, I am bothered by it.

SO... this morning, as I was cleaning my 'inbox', I saw an email from Natural Urban Mamas and sure enough, there was a contact email listed. It was early, so I figured that as N played in his bouncy chair, I would fire off a quick email and just provide some feedback on this product. I had no other expectations or agenda.

The email was sent around 6:30 a.m. (my time) so 7:30 p.m. in Edmonton.

Imagine my surprise to find a reply, only a few hours later, in my inbox. Natasha was apologetic about the product and really seemed genuinely to appreciate that I took some time to share my story with her. She also shared some good news--the black-cherry beads are back (due to popular demand!!), and wondered how she could send some my way.

Suffice it to say, I am very pleased. I have put in a request for TWO black-cherry necklaces (and only now as I am typing do I remember that I was supposed to send Natasha some measurements---sorry Natasha!!), and I am hoping that they might send them directly to me here.

To all my friends in Alberta with little ones, might I request that you support this 'home-grown' business. Please check out the link to their web-site (they have some great sales!). I have noticed that not only are they selling natural and organic products, but they are actively involved in the community as well.

AND--when I went shopping at Lulu's today, I needed some 'assistance' with my cart and groceries. One of their employees helped me while he was ON HIS BREAK and he even refused my tip (which has never happened before!).

Thank-you Universe!!