Our Family Photo Shoot

Lisa Lundqvist Photography

Hopefully this uploads properly and you will be able to see our family photo shoot that we did a few weeks back, in preparation for the arrival of our NB S. I wanted some pregnancy photos (as I've never had professional ones done for any of my pregnancies), and we just wanted some family photos as well. We are really pleased with the results.

For my baby shower gift, my friends all put some money together and bought me a gift certificate for another sitting. We would like to have some NB S pictures, and also some photos of our NEW family.

While on the topic of generosity, we have received many generous and beautiful gifts from friends near and far. Little A has opened them all on behalf of her baby sister, and they have all brought big smiles to our faces. Although it seems impossible that we actually need ANYTHING more (anyone who has been to my 'nursery' will know)--everything that we have received is loved, appreciated and will be used.

Today is Friday, and although we originally were expecting to visit with three separate sets of friends, it seems that now we are down to one (and who knows--it's still early--they might cancel too!). Which is A-okay with us, as we'll just continue on with our family-time. Little A has 'finger-painting' and 'swimming' on the agenda, and NB S has some 'phototherapy time' (her jaundice number came back at 14.8--normal--but we will put her in the sun to help her out). Baby N will just wreak general havoc and chaos (and likely spend some more time in the 'cage' as he is too heavy for me to carry and Peter gets tired of chasing after him).

Cage Match

On a completely different note, Little A has finally learned how to say 'French Hens' (as in "three french hens"). She used to say 'hench hens' when we sang/read her favourite book "The Twelve Days of Christmas," (which is a year-round classic at our place). For the first time on Wednesday evening, we heard her sing the proper words. How sweet!!

And...to wrap it up for today, I have just learned that the painkillers my doctor prescribe ARE actually working. This morning I figured I didn't need to take them anymore, as I was feeling pretty good. However, by 11 a.m., there was dull ache and by 12 noon, walking and standing were becoming quite painful. Now, an hour after taking my Brufen tablet, I am feeling MUCH better once again.

Busy "Hump" Day...

Back in the old country (Canada) Wednesdays are known as 'hump' days. I assume the name comes because Wednesday is the middle of the week--the day that every one has to get over in order to be heading closer to the weekend. I don't think the same applies here (because our weekend starts on Fridays--so technically Tuesday is OUR hump-day here). But--major digression--just for a title.

Here's how we spent our day:

1. We took NB S to the Al Mushrif Women's and Children's Screening Centre for a blood test for PKU. This test is not covered by insurance, and this clinic is the only one in the city that does the testing for free.

Sweet little baby feet!

2. We had to get passport pics for NB S. We have found that one can never have enough passport photos when you live in this country, as they are required for everything, not only just passports. Insurance cards, school & mailbox applications--any official paperwork seems to require a passport photo.

NB S gets camera ready with help from Papa

3. Just some family time: We basically just spent the morning out and about doing errands. In the afternoon, Peter took Baby N along for a ride while he picked up the passport photos and also the photos from our 'family portrait session'. On his way home, he managed to flag down the 'ice cream man' and got him (and his van) to follow him home to our villa. Boy--were all the kids in our neighbourhood thrilled!

Little A was treated to a Tom and Jerry ice cream cone, and Baby N had a very happy big sister as a result!

Finger Lickin' Good!

The third time's a charm...?

Little A presented me with this gift when I came home from the hospital yesterday.

Of course, in exchange for the mug, I presented THIS to the world:

Ta-DAH!!

The experience altogether was much less traumatic (emotionally) than before. I think I only cried once, and that was when my spinal tap started to wear off and the nurses were dragging their heels at getting me some painkillers. I was a lot more calm and alert during this procedure, and remember it all. I was joined in the O/R by Dr. Mahmoud (seriously--he is SUCH a jovial man), Dr. Marwan (who always seems so serious and like he's preparing for the Olympics--I swear he was doing squats!) and Dr. Stiles (who stepped into the O/R and piped out "I haven't been in one of these for a while now..."). I was also very pleased to have Nurse Cecile Cruz (one of baby N's NICU nurses) there with me as well. She was so sweet and pleasant during our days with baby N, and it was nice to have her by my side.

I remember so much of the c-section this time around. I remember the way the betadine was chilling and how the spinal tap fluid felt like a pipeline of ice as it went down my spine. Dr. Mahmoud told me that my legs would begin to feel warm, and immediately, the warmth spread from my thighs downwards. It was heaven to not feel my hips as I was moved back from 'the position' (chin to chest, clutching a pillow) back onto the table. Dr. Mahmoud and Dr. Marwan chit-chatted in Arabic together--Dr. Mahmoud basically walking around with his arms behind his back, making jokes and creating a relaxed 'work environment', while Dr. Marwan was elbow deep inside my uterus. I heard Dr. Marwan chastise the nurses who had inserted the incorrect size catheter for me (size 14 should have been a size 16) and as a result, I had blood leaking back into my bladder (and yet...I still remained calm--perhaps Mahmoud added a little something extra to my tap?). I heard a magnificent and powerful scream, and saw my beautiful little baby girl, with the Elvis hair, peeping out from a white terry towel and gave her soft face a kiss. They took her on to clean up, weigh in and meet her Papa, and began the close-up activities. The smell of my own cauterizing flesh continues to haunt me to this day...and then the Dr's M & M laughed as they said 'see you next year!', once I was all done.

Then it was off to the recovery room, where I looked forward to some sleep, as I had been up to eat at 5:30 that morning--but that was not happening. Apparently, all the adrenalin that I used to get through baby N's birth helped me to crash straight afterwards. This time around, I found myself wide awake (despite trying to force sleep). Even the hot air bubble blanket didn't help. Apparently, this lack of sleep was a foreboding of things to come.

As I was wheeled back to my VIP room (definitely an upgrade--two bedrooms, better (looking) furnishings, a fridge, and PEACE AND QUIET) 303A, I was awake and aware of all the bumps along the way. I was grateful that they had finally invested in a rollerboard to move immobile and freshly cut women from the gurney back to the bed (the last time it was painful, 3-4 nurses, my housemaid and someone saying 'ma'am can you lift a little?'). That's when the tap started to wear off and I had to try and use as many deep breathing techniques I could remember to manage the pain. Peter yelled at a nurse "does she have to die before you guys get her some pain killers?" and I remember thinking that death would at least be a reprieve. Fortunately after a shot of Voltaren and 30 minutes, I was feeling better.

Some of the things I will remember most about the hospital experience (this time around):

1. That 'look' the nurses got in their eye, whenever they recognized me from my delivery of baby N last year. They would first approach me as a stranger, but then they would look at me, make eye contact--and you could see the hamster wheels turning...and I often let them off the hook and said "yes--do you remember me? I had a baby here a little over a year ago." One of the doctors who claimed she remembered me (Dr. Susan from Iraq) actually didn't have her 'eureka moment' until she saw me attempting to walk down the hall. Then she remembered me (for my distinctive walk I presume) for all the steps I had taken back and forth to NICU.

2. The Thunder Stealer--baby N who generally visited only mornings was a favourite of all the staff. My friend Mirha loaned us a baby cot and he spent a lot of time being visited by the nurses. I overheard one nurse telling another that baby N was Dr. Marwan's "favourite baby." During one of my exams, I found too that Dr. M was more interested in talking more about baby N and his development, than either me or New Baby (NB) S.

3. The "Room Service"--Peter was delighted to get meals too (part of the VIP service) and would not eat at home before coming to visit. He eventually got so that he actually started making 'requests' (my favourite was when he negotiated some Indian grub--he wanted lamb curry but ended up with a very spicy chicken curry--but he still seemed content). That night I ate a tasty baby chick-pea salad, and once 'normal life' resumes, I will hunt down these baby chick-peas and make my own.

4. My amazing children: Well, I knew baby N would be just fine, as that is his nature, but I sure did miss that little cherub terribly. Little A, who KNEW what was going on, was amazing. Though she had her heart set on a baby brother, she was thrilled to have a baby sister, and kept remarking on how sweet she was. It didn't matter that every time she came to visit, we had to remind her of her baby sister's name. We were happy that she seemed to have forgotten her FIRST baby name pick: Maggi Dip (named after her favourite vegetable seasoning), and that she was in love with the 'new baby'. As well, little A was a trooper at home. She spent long days being carted back and forth from home to hospital, and behaved so very well--it made her mother proud. There were only a few teary moments, and I could see her trying so very hard to keep things together--but it was a big change in her little world (and frankly--in our big world too!).

Little A and version 2.0

5. Panjiri: When my friend Deema sent me a text offering to bring some of her mother-in-law's panjiri for me (she said she had LOADS), I accepted, thinking that it was an Indian sweet dish made of milk and thin noodles. I discovered later that it was actually an Indian 'medicine' given to mothers after birth to help their bodies heal faster and their milk come in. It is made of ghee, sugar, fennel and nuts (among other things). I believe my mother had offered to make me something similar, but by all reports (and the fact that Deema said I was welcome to it, as she wasn't planning on eating it), it was not going to be a tasty treat--rather something needing to be washed down with a cupful of milk, and so I had told her to hold off (I hate wasting things). To be honest, the last thing I was expecting when I consumed my first spoonful was to become an addict--but I must confess--I LOVE the stuff!! I have already asked Deema to top-up my supplies.

We started our hospital adventure on a Thursday and it ended on a Sunday. The jury is still out on whether the stay was more a prison-term or a resort visit. After a hearing test and check-up for NB S, we were cleared to go home. I was quite relaxed about it, as I had finished all of her 'set' in time (although I'll confess, the baby hat is a bit small and thus can only be used as head covering for prayers).

The Name:

Our daughter's name is one of the 1008 names given to the Hindu deity Parvati (the goddess of power, love and devotion). Parvati's father, Himavan, is the lord of the mountains and the personification of the Himalayas. Thus Parvati can be translated as 'daughter of the mountains'. There are many different spellings, and we chose to dress it up with an 'h' at the end.

Neither Peter nor I are religious fanatics. In keeping with our other two, we wanted a name with Sanskrit/Hindi origins. We chose this particular name as we both liked the way it sounded (and believe that it should be very easy to pronounce no matter where you come from). It was only after we settled on it, that we realized how it actually fit our NB perfectly.

I have been so very grateful for all the support I have received from friends, around the world. It has taken me almost four days of working piece-meal on this blog to finish this entry, which indicates how much time I have on the computer.

NB S is a major supporter of breast-feeding--so much so that she wants to do it ALL THE TIME. So far, she has not demonstrated a great love of sleeping--and so it has been really exhausting--no sleep at night OR during the day (b/c that's when my other two children want to play with their mom!). Top that off with recovery from major surgery--and well--these are tough times, but I only anticipate that each day things will improve (inshallah).

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

Here's how I spent my day:

-nice relaxing breakfast at home with the kids

-my friend Sahar came by and passed the morning with me. Her two little boys are in nursery, and she is currently 'in transition' (moving here from the UK via Switzerland). We went shopping together (as I felt the need to stock up the groceries so Peter would not have to do it while I was in the hospital).

-received some lovely newborn (size 0) clothes from Deema (who dropped them off while I was out--I completely forgot she was coming by).

-got to briefly see my friend Jenny who was picking up some chips (not potatoe) for the game that Peter is missing tonight.

-had a quick lunch and then flew off to Sharanis spa for the most wonderful facial experience I have ever had. What an amazing masseuse (authentic Thai lady named Tod--I will be going back for the post-natal massage in 3 months)! The facial was a gift from my friend Femme, who runs the spa.

-home by 4 to feed baby N milk (I guess little A had trouble falling asleep--the stress is getting to her). Then we all went for our 'last supper as a family of 4' to-------wait for it---------MCDONALD'S!!! I'm LOVING IT!!

-Came home for a real supper for the kids (come on--you don't think I'd seriously JUST give little A fries!!) and then bed-times. Baby N asleep by 6:45 and little A down by 8.

Now that it is quiet ME time--I decided to blog and I really have to finish TWO booties by tonight (and not those fancy schmancy ones either--I just don't have the mental capacity for that). I am 1/3 of the way through one...wish me luck!!

How am I feeling?

Nervous--not about the baby at all--but about the surgery. I am frightened--not only of the operation (and what if I die?), but also of the pain that will inevitably follow me later.

I am grateful for all the love and support I have received from near and far--friends from all over the world have been emailing and texting, sending me best wishes and offering to help in any way they can. That's a wonderful feeling.

I am sad for having to leave little A and baby N at home--even if it is for a short time (3 nights according to Marwan). I know they will be well looked after--but I will still miss them. Little A has been quite moody this afternoon, and I KNOW it has to do with the big day tomorrow. Baby N continues on in his sweet little oblivious way.

And I am FRAKKING tired!! I have got to get to sleep by 10 (please let me finish two booties by then--I still have a hat to go!!).

Two trips today...

First in the morning to see Dr. Marwan. Signed all the forms (although the 'official' form will need to be signed my my HUSBAND upon admission) and got all the bookings done. I will need to be in the hospital by 10 a.m. on Thursday for all the pre-op preparations, and the surgery will take place around 2 p.m.

I had to go back in the afternoon to the pre-anesthesia clinic. I was expecting to see my friend Dr. Mahmoud, but instead saw a much younger fellow (with a full head of hair). I had to ask him (b/c I WAS pretty out of it last time around), "Excuse me, but are YOU Dr. Mahmoud?". This question seemed to give him a bit of pause. He said "No, I'm Dr. Emad (or something that sounded like Emad--as I'm pretty sure Dr. Emad is the man who did my ultrasound.) Dr. Mahmoud is bald.".

Which gave me a bit of a chuckle (and hey--a 40-something man with a thick, full head of hair IS something to be proud). I told him "Yes--i was pretty sure you weren't Dr. Mahmoud--but I was pretty out of it during my last c-section and I just wanted to check." Though I have specificially requested Mahmoud, this fellow seems nice (and competent) and I just asked him to lift up his cap in the O/R and show me: hair or no hair (just so I know who is with me).

I also asked him about the possibility of having sedatives prior to the procedure (as I was QUITE a mess last time around). I know that they will impact the baby, but I'm sure that the amount of 'crazy' I was displaying when baby N was born, likely impacted him as well. I am not saying I will use them--but if I need help, I like to know it will be available to me. He agreed to be on 'standby' with the drugs for me.

Now, if I'm lucky, I won't need to go to the New Al Noor Hospital until Thursday. Every time I leave the house, little A gets a bit tense and when I come back, she always checks to see if the baby is still intact. I have tried to reassure her that I will let her know when I go to the hospital for new baby, and that she will come along with me. Last night, after helping me pack my hospital bag, she had a terrible time sleeping. She was probably worried that I would leave while she was asleep.

I'm off tonight for a mani-pedi with a friend. I am going to hop in the shower first, so that when I come home all I need to do is change into my pj's and go to sleep!

...The Hospital Luggage is packed!

Yahoo!

This has been the hanging like an albatross around my neck since week 35!

Now it's all taken care of. Just need to throw in a bag of size 1 diapers and we're ready to roll.

Had an ultrasound today and the doctor told me all was fine. Baby is healthy and weighing in at about 3.5 kg (let's see how accurate that number is, shall we?).

Mr. Hypotonia

Here is a little video of baby N CLIMBING from his 'garden' onto the sofa. For most parents of boys, this would be no big deal, but for our little guy, this was quite an amazing feat. Something we have waited and waited for him to do--and something some doctors made us fear he might never do.

I had to laugh the other day, when Peter (who was playing with the kids in little A's room while I sorted and organized) plopped baby N down, obviously getting a bit frustrated and tired and said to him "Why can't you just sit and play in one spot?". He did that for so long--it is so wonderful to see him gaining more control over his body and muscles.

Today was little A's LAST ballet class (who is happier--her or I?). Despite the fact that I put her to sleep at 11:30 (almost two hours BEFORE her usual nap-time), by 2:15 she still had to be woken up, and I had to pretend we were going to see Peter. The whole time she was getting ready she kept saying "we're not going to ballet, right mommy? we're just going to see papa." We took baby N with us, and he seemed to really enjoy the experience (despite missing his afternoon siesta).

He will have an early supper and bed-time to make up for it.

IKEA, New Yas Island Location

Flags flapping

Today had a very promising start. The new IKEA store just opened this week on Yas Island, and we happened to be in need of some IKEA things (who isn't??). Baby N's morning nap was timely, and so we managed to slip through the doors of the new store by 10:15 (just after it opened). The store reminded me of the IKEA in South Edmonton Common in terms of layout. It is much bigger than its previous location (in Marina Mall) and it is much closer for us now as well (20 minutes vs. 40 minutes drive time).

Waffle Cone--1 dirham

We found everything we needed easily and relatively quickly. We also enjoyed some quality browsing time, as little A ran around following the arrows to make sure we didn't get lost. We managed to buy some things we didn't need so much as well. Big surprise there. Before we left, we had some fries and a croissant. I spilled some milk on baby N (all over him really). I blame Peter, as I was a bit frustrated to come out and find him feeding my baby FRENCH FRIES (instead of warming up his formula for him). Then little A, baby N and I shared a 1 dirham ice cream cone (27 cents!!), and Peter tried the very Swedish shawarma.

The afternoon was supposed to be pretty relaxing as well--we were only supposed to be waiting for two Ajay's: one who was coming from Sharp to fix our freezer and the other coming from somewhere in Khalidiyah to just hang out. Fortunately (or maybe UN-fortunately), Ajay 2 (really Ajay 1 in our hearts) reminded me that I needed to head out to the New Al Noor Hospital (again) in order to see Dr. Marwan and have my c-section approval request done.

Despite the four hours I spent there, it was a good thing I went. The request (which is really an insurance approval) takes about 5 days for approval. Had I waited until my appointment on Tuesday, it's likely that I would not be approved for my c-section in time. I also managed to secure the "dream-team" I wanted: Dr. Marwan (for me), Dr. Stiles--who despite the rumors is still alive and well and working at the New Al Noor Hospital (for baby) and Dr. Mahmoud (who makes my mood so much better when he spinal taps me properly). I also had a chance to speak to Dr. Marwan about Dr. Bachar, who had bothered me so much on Tuesday.

While I was in the waiting room, I had the pleasure of enjoying the flavour of 'local parenting'. Basically, the majority of locals seem to favour the 'hands off' parenting style (unless the hands belong to their nannies). There were three little girls (ages 2-4) running around SCREAMING in the waiting room for about 10 minutes. I don't just mean a scream here and there. I mean constant, non-stop screaming for 10 minutes. Personally, I kept my eyes down and in my book, although I found it very unenjoyable. I kept waiting for SOMEONE (at least ONE of the parents) to pull their child back--but it did not happen.

I received a tap on my shoulder, and turned around to find one of the adorable little monsters (she really was a cutie) pointing down to show me that she had spilled water from the water cooler all over the floor. Responsible adult that I am I said "I don't understand--where is your mom?". Though she didn't speak English, "mom" seems to be pretty universal, and she went straight to the lady who had been sitting next to ME on the couch the entire time, with her back to her child and the chaos she was helping to create through her negligence. She told her mom that I was asking her who her mom was. I explained to the lady that her daughter was trying to communicate something to me (something like "hey pregnant lady, I spilled water all over the floor...aren't I great? can you clean it up for me?") and I didn't (want to) understand.

Then I returned my head to the book. About five minutes after that, the Arabic receptionist got up and said something to the children. It seemed to be a big lecture, full of hand gestures and big eyes. It took a few minutes, and I heard some of the adults chuckling, but the children eventually settled down. I actually was able to figure out which child belonged to which parent (as they quickly remembered they were parents once again and retrieved these children--some even moved out into the hallway).

Upon leaving, I asked the receptionist what she had said. She said she told the children that unless they settled down, they would all get very large injections. She even went so far as to go next door to pediatrics and get some needles to show them she was prepared to follow through.

IKEA--Swedish for "Common Sense"

This just reinforces my feeling that we all could use some IKEA in our lives--I wonder if they might consider offering some parenting classes as well?

The Whale (no--not ME)

Today we had our 'last breakfast' at the Shangri-la, before we go on hiatus. Next Friday I will likely be busy trying to hold in my guts, and won't have much interest in eating at the buffet. Afterwards, we stopped off at a neighbour's garage sale, and were very happy to scoop up some great deals on some excellent toys.

I have been busy trying to find a knitting pattern for and create a pair of baby booties. I have made it my tradition to knit a pair of scratch mitts, booties and a hat for each of my little ones. They will all have them as keepsakes to remember when they were tiny. Generally, they only wear them for a picture and as they make their way out of the hospital, strapped into their car-seat. This time I tried to challenge myself with a new pattern. The picture is here. Wish me luck! I have already had to go on youtube several times to refresh my memory on several knitting terms.

While I was working on the booties, little A was sitting next to me. She likes to draw, and fortunately, Peter's business allows her to have access to many free notepads from various companies. Today, for the first time ever, instead of drawing squiggly lines and forcing us to use our great powers of imagination to see what she had created, she actually created a reasonable (for a 3.5 year old) facsimile of a real object. It was a whale, and if you look carefully, you will see it has a tail, a fin, a mouth (sorry--just noticed that the mouth is still coming--if you look closely, you can see the tip of her pen in the bottom right and she is just about to add in the mouth), an eye and a blowhole, which is spraying water out like a fountain. I asked her if I could keep this picture, and she said "Sure, you can put it on your blog." Enjoy!

The Irish Twins...

Erin Go Bragh!

That's what I called little A and baby N BEFORE we got pregnant with B3. 'Irish Twins' because not only are they fairly close in age, but in some of baby N's early pictures, he is indistinguishable from little A (as a baby, of course). So much so that little A looked at baby N's pictures and said "that's me when I was a baby." Now, we will be able to apply that title more aptly to baby N and B3.

KISS ME, I'M IRISH!

We didn't do much to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We have our shamrocks up around the house, and we all wore green today (although I did not introduce the idea of pinching those who don't wear green--b/c I am not a glutton for punishment). Little A even watched an episode of Rupert Bear where he meets a leprechaun and learns about the bad blood between the leprechauns and Mr. Crumb's family (feel free to watch it at the following link--there are three parts: Rupert Bear and the Leprechaun).

Of all the things that needed to be done, I managed to mail off a letter and move around some furniture (the chairs are all settled upstairs). I also got to enjoy a nice cup of tea with a friend at La Brioche--a local coffee shop chain.

I am afraid to look at the 'list' as I know not much got done. I did manage to start AND finish a pair of scratch mitts for B3. Now, only booties and a hat to go. This is definitely something I can only do while the little ones sleep, as I have to keep track of rows and stitches--something I cannot do with distractions.

Some good news--I have heard that Dr. Marwan is back in the building. He was supposed to perform a c-section for a friend of a friend, but ended up just going to check on her after the fact. I am glad that he is responsible enough to be refraining from surgery when he has infectious potential (although I hear she was a bit chuffed about it). Looks like he should be ready to operate by the time I need him (one week from today--YIKES!).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Someone stole my grocery cart--again!!

The day that baby N was born, I went to Carrefour in order to kill time, while I waited for my ultrasound appointment. I was (obviously) deeply immersed in looking at shower curtains and rods (to prepare for the arrival of Peter's family), when someone stole my shopping cart from right beside me. Though I scanned all the aisles--no luck. I had to start from scratch and half-way through I got the call from the hospital that I was next up for an ultrasound, so I had to head back.

Today I went to Lulu (I didn't want to go--but we have no food in the house--so I kind of HAD to go). As I was checking out the glue guns, with my cart parked BESIDE me, it wandered off again. I asked the stock-boy, but he hadn't seen it. It was a toss-up as to what would take more time and effort: go and get a new cart and start all over again OR scan the aisles for my cart full of jars of baby food and formula. I decided to scan, and found my cart abandoned three aisles over, in the cereal section.

I came home worried this might be a sign that the baby was coming early.

I had an enjoyable visit with my friend Shariza today. She brought me a wonderful gift for B3--a Dutalier nursing chair! She was doing some 'spring cleaning' and decided she wouldn't be needing a nursing chair anytime soon, so we have adopted it. Fortunately, with all the re-organization to make room for B3, we now have room for this chair as well.

Little A has a runny nostril--you know the kind where you keep feeling your nose run, but when you blow it, nothing comes out? THAT'S the kind she has. It's her left nostril, and hopefully it will clear itself up soon. Baby N has some more teething happening (if his rosy cheeks and elevated body temperature are any indication). He is now up to six teeth.

I feel like I've accomplished something today as well. Not only did I manage to actually put together a package for my friend Candice (it's all sealed and addressed and ready to go to the post office), I also completed a great deal of work on baby N's 'baby book'. One of the gifts I got from my shower was a NEW baby book for B3--which made me realize that I needed to get moving on baby N's book.

When I go to bed tonight, not only will I feel the pain of my swollen ankles, my bum hips and my baby kicking all around (though B3 is still confirmed to be in 'ready position'--head down), but tonight I will also feel a little bit of peace, knowing that I am so close to crossing a few more things off my 'To-Do' list.

No plans for tomorrow--just focusing on 'the list'.

A little bump....

Can you believe she used to be too small?

Oh great! Dr. Marwan has taken 'sick leave' and they THINK he might be back Saturday.

I needed to have an ultrasound this week (that he was supposed to schedule this week). I was referred to Dr. Bachar (by reception) and was told that Marwan's nurse would update Bachar on the situation and that Bachar would write me a referral for the ultrasound.

I guess she forgot?

I went to see Bachar today (and I had to wait 2.5 hours b/c it was 'walk-in clinic') and he:

1. kept asking me why I felt I needed an ultrasound.

2. continually undermined my decision to follow the instructions of Dr. Marwan.

3. did an ultrasound scan himself where he told me the baby was very healthy (and then began mumbling under his breath about why I would come to see him if I didn't want him to treat me).

4. made some digs at his 'colleague' who didn't have the courtesy to inform him about my visit.

5. generally made me feel uncomfortable. As I left he passed me his business card and said "My name is Dr. Bachar, here is my card. This is my number.

If you want my help and want me to treat you, then please call me."

Now I am a bit worried. My ultrasound is booked for Monday. My next appointment with Marwan is Tuesday. Supposedly, Marwan will be back in the office on Saturday, and I was advised by the receptionist to attend the walk-in clinic (sigh) and ensure that he books all the professionals ('my team') for my delivery on Thursday.

Deep breaths....

Monkey

Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital & Baby Shower

Everybody in our family needs to do their part to get ready for B3's arrival. Phinn's jobs were to get some food stocked up (which the German Vet seems to be doing a very poor job in helping us out with as they are always 'out' of his premium food) AND to have his hair-cut. Unfortunately, when I tried to book a grooming for him, the GV let us down again, as their groomer is on holiday and won't be back until April. Who are they referring to? The American and British Vet Clinics (both in the city and not an enjoyable driving option) AND the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (supposedly our closest option). Obviously, you can tell from the title of this post, which option I chose--we all need a little adventure in our lives from time to time, don't we?

The directions on their website were great, and I managed to find it without any problems. I was worried about the quality of their service for pets (particularly dogs--as this is predominantly a hospital for 'locals' and we know that most of the local population are quite cynophobic). I was very happy to see the groomer, was not only a Filipino gentleman, but the same fellow (Seg) who had groomed Phinn in the past at the German Vet Clinic (he has since moved on). He also recognized Phinn, and I felt comfortable leaving him in his capable and experienced hands.

...And here are the results:

Phinny Lion--no boots

Just two dawgs, chillin'

Baby N was really happy to have Phinn home. We all went together to pick him up, and both he and his sister saw two falcons blindfolded, perched and minding their own business in the main reception. However, Phinn was not allowed to enter the reception area (maybe they were afraid he might eat the falcons?) and so I waited outside with him so my helper could have a chance to see the falcons too. This is when Phinn started to cause problems.

He has always been super protective of me--and is particularly 'assertive' towards male adults. As we were waiting, two local men pulled up in a monster truck, and hopped out talking loud and being 'macho'. Upon spotting Phinn (and his sweet little lion cut) they began to laugh, at which Phinn took offence and asserted his OWN machismo. He began barking, which honestly, frightened these men a bit (you can always tell when the automatic response is to shrink back whether it's the 'flight' or 'fight' response kicking in). I told Phinn to be quiet, and gave him a tug on the leash. But did he listen?? NOOOOOOOOOO. So, these men felt the need to yell 'Finish! Finish!' at him (which did not help at all). Then Malou came out and asked me why these local men were yelling 'finish' at me--and all I can assume is they meant to say 'stop' (I don't think "Finish" is Arabic for anything--but I will double-check with my only local friend, Amal).

All in all--a little more comedy to end our ADFH experience (as if the goat in the hatchback in the morning wasn't enough!! But that's a whole other blog entry!!).

N loves Phinn's plush dog bed

Although I was dog-tired (literally) I really enjoyed my evening out with the 'gals' (Andrea--wish you had been there). My friend Deema picked me up and drove us to the Shangri-La hotel. The lobby area was a bit smokey (something I will be writing a letter about--b/c I have so much free time), and so we opted to sit outside on the patio--which would have been lovely, had the winds not been blowing so strongly off the water. After a while, we moved inside (the crowds had thinned and we were able to get a spot as far as possible away from the lounge). They had two musicians playing, which made for a lovely mood, and we all were able to relax and enjoy our teas and desserts. It was a LATE night (I didn't get home until 10:40--crazy--I know!!), but I was really enjoying the conversation and laughs with friends. It's a shame that we don't do this more often (many of my friends here are moms too and seriously--someone has to have a baby or move away for us to get together for an 'evening out').

Fortunately, Deema also brought a camera along, and when she sends me the pictures, I will update this post with them.

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Here is a group photo:

(left to right: Shariza, Brenda, Sharon,

Yolande, moi, Mirha, Christine &

Deema behind the camera).

Beauty Contest

We had a lot of fun at our family photo session on Saturday. We took a few changes of clothes, and really enjoyed working with Lisa (whose studio was fairly near to us—thankfully—as we were running late as usual). Little A took a LONG time to warm up (about thirty minutes of the ‘passport face’ as I like to call it—the blank eyed stare—absolutely no smile or even a hint of one coming down the road). However, once she got into the game, she really enjoyed herself. I am really looking forward to seeing these pictures, and will be sure and post some.

Passport Face

Today we received some good news, little A has been accepted into KG1 at the Canadian International School (but please keep it on the down-low—as it’s ‘unofficial’). We had an ‘interview’ at 9:30 today (which didn’t start until 10). I was a bit unsure what to expect, but my friend Mirha (who has twin boys that interviewed last week) told me it was basically just a ‘hello—I want to see what you look like’ kind of thing. Which indeed it was (thankfully I had to dig out my make-up for yesterday’s photo session, so I did my part). I guess the Canadian School is big on recruiting ‘cute’ pupils, as the VP told me ½ way during our session, “I know how stressful it is to wait to find out whether your child will be accepted. I’m going to tell you unofficially, she’s in. I mean—just LOOK at your daughter—who wouldn’t want her in their school?”. I guess it’s too bad we didn’t get an ‘interview’ at the British School—maybe she wouldn’t have been rejected? Perhaps I should just fax them some of the pics from the photo shoot (from after she warmed up)—maybe that might change their mind?

I feel that little A is too young to start school in the fall. I have sought out opinions of my very esteemed teaching colleagues back in Canada, who seem to agree. However, school placements here are difficult to come by, and I just don’t know how I will feel in the fall, when I have three little ones running around here. Maybe I will feel as though I am neglecting little A, and she needs more stimulation than I can provide her. In this case, I need to have a back-up for her.

The feet are still swollen, even though the storms have passed. Sleeping is becoming very difficult, as the pain in my hips continues to increase (how is that even possible??). Fortunately, there is not too much longer to go.

Tomorrow night is my baby shower. I am really looking forward to coffee, cake and a visit with the girls. The venue has changed to the Shangri-La hotel (which you know I love anyways). I am looking forward to curling up on a cushy couch and having a chat with friends.

Death Threats

...today I received two--both from the same person:

no...not THAT one (look at him--he is MUCH too sweet!).

From THIS one (cue the 'gasps' and 'ahhhhs'):

I don't know whether to blame Gargamel, or the Pound Puppies (I think they might be the more likely candidates)--but I don't recall "I'll kill you" coming out of their mouths (I know Gargamel often threatens "I'll get you for this you little smurfs!!").

Suffice it to say I've managed to make it through the day alive, and with a loving and heartfelt apology from my little A. I discussed with her how she needs to have a nap during the day, as she becomes very overtired, uncooperative and makes 'bad choices' when she does not. I feel confident that I will not have to sleep with one eye open tonight.

I enjoyed a lovely 1.5 hour outing all by myself (well--with B3) to Carrefour this afternoon. I was hoping to find some 'temporary' hospital/post-baby clothes for myself, but ended up finding some great things for the children instead. Little A was so excited and pleased with the peacock feathers I bought (I am now buying in threes--one for each)--but her feathers also instigated one of the death threats.

Too Many Cooks...

Future 'Master Chefs'

Don't be fooled--it's not a REAL back-pack--just little A's favourite backpack t-shirt that her grandma gave her. She's even wearing it right now for 'nap-time'.

It has been a slow week news wise. Nothing too exciting going on, although I've managed to be doing something every day. Thankfully, the storms have passed and my feet have resumed their normal size.

Some of the highlights of the week:

1. On a visit to SKMC I was actually physically pushed by a 'local' lady, as she was in a hurry to schedule another appointment and apparently had no qualms about shoving THIS heavily pregnant momma (who was patiently waiting to schedule another appointment) out of the way. I have never been pushed in my life (except by my older brother), and so I wasn't really sure what to do. In hindsight, Peter and I decided I should have grabbed hold of my belly and screamed "ahhhhhh!! my baby!! my baby!!!" and dropped dramatically (and gently) to the ground. Question is...would she have noticed? In my experience, someone who is idiotic enough to push a pregnant lady is not really too concerned about the people around them.

2. The maintenance men were here to replace a hot water pump (that was reported as broken way back in November). Apparently the 'report' got lost, and so they had to send people out to write the report again, and a week later, voila!! new hot water pump. So, these two Indian men show up (both of whom I have seen before) and get to work. They were both quite friendly, but I found myself rather at a loss when the younger of the two discreetly asked me, "Ma'am, can I have one?"--and then just pointed downwards towards the box of Peter's beer with a finger and his eyes. I wasn't sure what he meant and had to get him to repeat himself. My answer: "No--it's not legal" (which I had to repeat--as his first response was "I won't sell it."). Considering the laws here with respect to liquor and its consumption, I thought it was pretty crazy that this fellow was willing to risk a lot, just to get a free bottle of beer. Apparently, as a non-drinker, I just don't understand the power of alcohol.

3. I had an appointment with Dr. Marwan and all still looks good with B3. Apparently, this is the first of all my babies to be in the 'go' position (head down) early on (what is this--week 34??). Little A didn't turn until week 38 and baby N decided to relax and be breech right up until the end. Too bad B3--you're a c-section baby!! Dr. Marwan commented that he saw baby N's picture on the NICU board, and that he was the most handsome of all the babies (and I completely agree--although with the number of first cousin marriages out here--I don't think the competition was really all that stiff).

4. We attended a birthday party for Indraj (my friend Deema's son) who is just turning 3. The invitation said 'dress-up' and it was a jungle theme--so little A went as a 'jungle skunk' (yes--I googled it--there really are skunks that live in the jungle). We had a nice time, and as we were leaving A said her first words to Indraj "Happy Birthday Indraj"--she had spent the entire party curled up beside me on the sofa. It was comical to hear her say "I think Indraj could be my best friend" as we left their villa. Sadly for A, Indraj and family will be leaving Abu Dhabi for 'the good life' in Dubai, on April 10.

And that's it--our week in review. We're heading into the weekend now, and we have a family portraits session scheduled for Saturday morning. I am sure to look terrible as I have neither good hair, good make-up OR good clothes--but I guess that's what Photoshop is for, right?

Little A finds something to keep baby N out of her way

Is my bellybutton tied too tightly?

I have always admired the sweet look of the protruding bellybutton on pregnant women. Just something about that little balloon nub shape, pushing out against a t-shirt--I just love it!!

This is my THIRD pregnancy--and yet--no bellybutton pop. My skin is stretched to the limit (as the silvery stretch-marks and dry, itchy skin would indicate) but the bellybutton remains constantly an 'innie'.

I have to wonder: Did the doctor tie my bellybutton too tightly??

Dear Bellybutton: You have 20 more days to go--will you be able to hold out (or rather--in)??

Which toothbrush are you going to choose?

(Just because I want to remember this kind of stuff when I get older.)

The morning brush...

Little A has three toothbrushes: the 'angel' (which hangs in a lion toothbrush holder from the mirror), the elephant and the cat. I got her a variety, in order to help her enjoy the act of brushing her teeth. So far, we've managed to nail the night-time brushing, but some mornings it's a bit of a grind.

Every time I hoist her up on the counter (and I seriously need to put a chair up in the bathroom, because very soon I won't be able to hoist her up for fear of splitting stitches) I ask her, "Which toothbrush are you going to choose?". If she chooses the angel, then it's just 'the angel'. However, if she chooses either the cat or the elephant (let's pretend...for clarity that she chose the cat), then she always follows up by saying:

"Lucky cat today. If I chose the elephant, then the cat would say 'hey! i thought we were taking turns' and then elephant would say 'ooops! sorry!!'".

She is very good at making sure that the cat and the elephant get an equal opportunity to clean her teeth. Before the angel became a part of the crew, she was always ensuring that if elephant brushed in the morning, then the cat would brush at night. The angel gets rotated in whenever she feels like she wants to use her snazzy lion toothbrush holder.

Speaking of elephants, I have elephant feet again today. The compression stockings have not helped (other than to etch deep grooves in the place where my ankles usually are). Baby N has been a bit fussy today (apparently he used up all his charm on my friend Sharon this morning and only had a limited supply left for me this afternoon). Peter is off at a business meeting/dinner tonight, and I'm off for some tea and Fringe time.

N's eye--Update

Surprisingly, there was no bruising today. The cut continues to heal.

Baby N was a bit out of sorts and crabby, but that is likely due to teething.

This morning I went out (on my own) for a visit with a friend. Her daughter is a month older than N, and WOW! what a big difference between the two. We had a very nice visit, and I always find myself wishing I had more time to get to know some of the ladies around here.

Little A and I went for a swim, while baby N played with our helper. A has come so far with her water skills, and though she is not swimming independently yet, she is so confident and really enjoys being in the pool. We ended up swimming in the afternoon again (b/c of my morning engagement) and there was a breeze, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

While he was strapped into his high chair, I took the opportunity to trim up baby N's hair a little. My helper and little A were both great assistants, and helped keep him distracted so that I could shorten it up a wee bit. Then it was time for baths and bed!!

Looking down, I see that my ankles have disappeared and it looks as though I have elephant feet. Today there is a lot of swelling and I will be turning in early tonight.