Happy Easter--Part 2

Happy One Month Sweetheart!

We had an enjoyable day today. In the morning, we took NB outside (at little A's suggestion as she told me that NB needed fresh air and sunshine to grow). Little A and baby N played together in the travel cot that my friend Mirha loaned us for the hospital (also little A's suggestion). I was a bit hesitant to stick them both in their together (little A is still not 100% with the whole 'sharing' concept), but they did wonderfully. They even had a game of catch involving a cloth baby book and lots of laughter. I sure am glad that I forgot to return this cot to Mirha!

Then I took NB upstairs for a bath. She really does enjoy the water so much and is very easy to bathe. Little A opted to stay in the cot with her brother (supervised by Malou), so it was just my newest baby and I. I dressed her up in little A's Winnie-the-Pooh sleeper (which Peter had given to me as a Christmas gift the year that we started our 'talks' about starting a family--it makes me smile to remember the faces of my brother and our friend Raj, who both shared Christmas with us that year). She looked sweet in the sleeper, but of course had to be changed out of it a few hours later when she spit-up (again). She ended the day wearing her dark pink sleeper, which was originally intended as coming home outfit from the hospital (which she pooped in before we left).

Big brother and baby sister

Little A and I worked on word pronunciation today. The word we chose was "Malou". For a little over two years, Malou has been working for our family. Since little A started talking, she has always called her "Waloo", which is surprising since she has no issues with the 'M' sound (as in 'Mom-meeeeeeee', which is a high frequency word around our house). So, Malou is "Waloo" (she doesn't seem to mind) and it is (like most kid-speak) very endearing (well, to me anyways).

I thought I would try and do some home-made 'speech therapy' with her and I asked her to repeat the "M" sound: muh-muh. She was successful. So, then I paired the "M" sound with the word: muh-muh, Muh-lou. She repeated: muh-muh, WA-loooooo. As she was repeating, she was also calling out to Malou, to ask her to bring something downstairs with her, so it was very loud, and I must confess, it made me laugh. We tried it several times, and each time, she wouldn't transfer the "M" sound into Malou's name, and always switched back to the "W" sound. Oh well!!

In addition to being Easter Sunday, today was NB's REAL one month (from March 24 to April 24). We really enjoyed marking this day with Ajay and his family. Baby N was in his element, basking in the attention, receiving cuddles and being green-lighted for unlimited climbing, pinching and pulling. Little A was, as usual, much slower to warm up. NB S also got her share of snuggles and I appreciated having two free hands to eat. I must confess that I really enjoy Ajay's parents (and of course Ajay too!)--and was happy to spend some more time with them before they left for home. They live on an acreage outside of Calgary, which they tell me is an easy drive from my brother's house in Arbour Ridge. They invited us to visit them this summer, when we go back to Calgary, and I hope to take them up on it.

Time to upgrade?--

"Mr. Ajay" becomes "Uncle Ajay"

I am pleased to report that Ajay made it to our place with no grand detours. Though next time I suggested he come off the highway one exit earlier (at Al Bandar), his route via Etihad Plaza was likely the fastest he has ever used to come out to Al Raha Gardens. Peter has invited him out this Thurday for a 'guy's night', so hopefully he'll be able to practice the drive again while it's still fresh in his memory. Ajay elicited sweet peals of laughter from baby N while he was here, by playing with Phinn and his beaver. Ajay got Phinn to hop around and chase after the beaver, which delighted my baby (who is only used to Phinn sleeping in his kennel--I guess we are not as fun as Ajay).

Happy Easter--Part 1

Shocked that mom almost forgot it was Easter!

We have had a wonderful Easter day. For us, (non-Christian, parents of three, living in the Middle East) Easter is less about the crusifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and more about a little a bunny that hops around and leaves presents for little ones. We do not have any extra holidays, and truth be told, I only realized it was Easter THIS weekend because Malou mentioned that in the Philippines they shut down internet use in the entire country, so that people can focus on the religious nature of the holiday. I knew Easter was on its way, but I hadn't realized that it actually ARRIVED.

This morning Peter took little A to the Kids Park Zoo. This is her second visit there, and she has been asking to go again for almost a month now. Little A came back home very excited b/c she had fed the goat all by herself (something she was scared to do last time we went). I was a bit worried about them, as I sat outside doing phototherapy with NB S and noticed that it was scorching (over 30 degrees easily by 9:30 a.m.). Peter is not a big fan of the heat. However, I had sunscreened little A, sent along a hat, water and a snack--it was all in Peter's hands (and what very capable hands they are). They both came back sweaty and happy, so it was a great morning.

Don't worry--there's glass there.

While they were away, I prepped for the Easter egg hunt, with baby N playing around at my feet. Last year was little A's first, and I filled little plastic eggs with small, magnetic alphabet letters for her. This year, as I have not left the house to go shopping, I was unable to buy anything to put in the eggs. So, I decided to put little clues (paper pictures) in the eggs instead, with the last egg leading to the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox, where there were Easter presents waiting for all three of them. The first was a Dinosaur puzzle which I purchased a while ago for little A (as she is keenly interested in these prehistoric animals). Then there were gift bags for both little A and baby N, which were sent last year by their Aunt Cindy (however they arrived too late for Easter and so I decided to save them).

Easter baby

It was very enjoyable to watch little A find the eggs and follow the clues. At first, it was clear she did not completely understand the concept (and I'll be honest, my artwork could have been better). However, once she clued in (pun intended), she was flying and really enjoyed it. It was a bit challenging, as baby N could not really participate and NB S was howling for more milk. Also, as I had the video camera and Peter had his paparazzi camera--there weren't too many extra hands around for the other two. Next year, when baby N can participate, it will be even better.

Got it!!

Then we had some (on & off) fun making the Dinosaur puzzle. I am proud to say that little A put it together all by herself, with some verbal direction and encouragement from me. Peter had gone out for groceries and I was glued to the sofa nursing NB S again. Baby N watched from the security of his exersaucer (for everyone's sake).

Looking forward:

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to sharing a meal with Ajay and his parents. We are looking forward to their company, as his parents will be leaving the UAE soon. We are also looking forward to seeing if Ajay can make it to our place without any detours--so far he's managed to get close to Al Ain and head towards Dubai--I guess he hasn't gone out to Mohammed Bin Zayed City or Al Bahia...yet ;-)

Easter gifts (thanks, in part, to Aunt Cindy)

Happy Easter everyone!!

Just Call Me Angel of the Morning

It has been a bit of a challenge trying to get pics of NB S. She generally spends the majority of her time sleeping, eating or crying (because she wants to be sleeping or eating). However, this morning, as we woke up, and before we went downstairs, there was a brief minute where I managed to capture these three photos (on my Iphone--so not exactly top notch quality). However, I think they are absolutely beautiful. I had just opened the curtains, and the morning sunlight is shining on her head. She is getting ready for a morning top-up, but is still pretty content as her last feed was only two hours ago (around 5 a.m.).

We had a pretty good day today. As promised, we made our return to the Shangri-La for breakfast. Unfortunately, we are out of practice, and adding a new member to our routine. Whereas I normally handle everything in the mornings (feeding baby N, and getting him and his sister dressed), while Peter showers, this morning's schedule was thrown off as NB S and I didn't even come downstairs until shortly after 7. By that time, Peter was in the midst of feeding baby N and little A was just hanging out watching a show in her pj's. We ended up leaving the house pretty late (as we had to set-up the car-seats and arrange three of them together), and everyone still had to get dressed.

Little A is so very happy to be sitting next to NB S and was very helpful with putting her soother back in whenever it popped out. I am hoping that this will last, as it will certainly help me to have someone back there who can do this job. Baby N seemed thrilled to be leaving the house and was wearing his happiest face on the drive. Perhaps he has forgotten what a car is?

Andrea, as you can see, we managed

to fit all three in the second row.

Overall, we received a warm reception at the hotel. It seems many of the staff had noticed our absence (but sadly--did not seem to notice that I was much smaller than the last time they had seen me--maybe this belly bandit is not working as well as I thought?). You should have seen the waffle guy's eyes pop when I told him I'd just had a baby--I happened to have baby N in the stroller with me at the time, and he took a look at his size and was quite shocked. I had a laugh and told him that baby N wasn't the baby I JUST had--she was tucked away at the table.

We managed to sit at our 'usual' table, and ate all the 'usual' things: Earl Grey tea, poached eggs with hollandaise (made perfectly by my personal Indonesian chef!), and a waffle with strawberries, maple syrup and whip cream all on the side. Our friends (Sahar et al) arrived a little later than us, and sat at their usual table, and it was so nice to see them.

We're baaa-AAAACK!!

NB S's soother got left in the car, and so it wasn't as easy as it could have been (as I had to assume the role of the human pacifier). Half-way through our meal, we were joined by a small sparrow that flew in through an open door (I think) and sat next to Peter. The food was delicious though, and it was nice to be out.

Reflux?

"Mom--watch me!!"

When I breast fed little A (many moons ago), I had top notch support (via the nurses at the Bonnie Doon Health Clinic, various other lactation consultants and experienced friends). I even managed to switch her back from bottle feeding to breast-feeding--a skill she honed and utilized until almost two years of age. Baby N, due to his hypotonia, lacked the muscle-tone in his cheeks to breast-feed, and was an exclusively bottle-fed baby. NB S (appears to have) mastered breast-feeding on her own, with me as her only support, b/c quite frankly--that and Dr. Jack Newman's website were all that was available to her. Things have been going great, and she has even started putting on weight (Peter found she was 7.2 lbs the other day).

Unfortunately, for about the last week, she has also developed this new habit of spitting up (or 'sicking up' as my British mates call it) after each feed. It doesn't matter how long I burp her afterwards, I always find a small little dribble down her cheek, or a wet-spot on the bed. I have friends who have had babies with 'reflux' and I am just hoping that this is not what we are dealing with. I know every baby has some 'baby trauma' that causes his/her parents to grow exceedingly worried about his/her health (and lose many nights of sleep)--but seriously--Universe, I've had enough BT to last me a life-time. Let's keep this baby experience smooth and easy, shall we? Let's not have any hospital visits (particularly in the wee hours of the morning), or call in any 'specialists'. Let's just make this some routine 'baby gas' and call it a day.

Today I had a nice visit with my friend Yolande. I was going to invite a group of ladies over, but I realized after last week's 'event' that I am just not up to entertaining larger groups (yet). Plus, I have no baking in the freezer to fall back on. I learned that Yolande is following in the footsteps of our friend Deema, and is making the move to Dubai. I must admit, I am jealous. In my opinion, one could live long-term in Dubai, without ever feeling that you are in the Middle East. Yolande was kind enough to bring along some dessert (a custard slice I believe) and we enjoyed each other's company for a few hours.

The afternoon passed quickly. Naps and coffee-table play-time (the play-time that centres around the coffee table area--but no longer IN the coffee table, right baby N?--where I am generally glued to the sofa nursing NB), then supper and bed-time. Peter had a 'meeting' today and came home a little after 7, just in time to put little A to bed. The children (as always) were pretty great, and (with the exception of the reflux) nothing to moan about.

Crayola coloured scarves

I am VERY excited to be making my big return (well--it feels big to me) to the Shangri-La tomorrow. I have been missing the hollandaise sauce, the smoothies, the waffles--and basically someone else preparing and cleaning up all the food for me. It will be a bit of an adjustment, working NB S into our breakfast buffet routine, but, we've done it before and we'll do it again.

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday, Peter took advantage of the beautiful weather (sunny, no sandstorm in sight, 30 plus degrees) and took A & N for a swim. Thanks to the pool heater, he tells me it was like a 'warm bath'. I'm sorry that I am not approved for swimming as yet, as I would have loved a warm bath! NB and I sat outside, soaked up some vitamin D, and watched the fun.

Donna--might you add hibiscus to your list of

favourite flowers if you lived here? I love them!

This morning I had to cancel plans with a friend, in order to go to the Canadian Embassy (again) and finish the application for NB's passport. Fortunately, we finished everything we needed to do (although there was a little 'discussion' about the passport photo, which I will admit is a very unflattering likeness), and this is the last time that we need to take NB there.

In order to make it easier for myself, I opted to leave the other two at home. Baby N went for a nap, and little A was painting. I was amazed to see the growth she has shown in this skill. She painted several pictures, but this one was her first. I asked her whether she wanted me to take it to Papa, so he could put it up at work. She said "No--I painted this for you, for your birthday card.". How very special and lucky I am!!

When I came home, I learned that there was a lot of fun had at Casa S-L, as Malou had caught a baby pigeon, and held it for both A & N to look at (although N is still learning how to be gentle and almost crushed its little head). We have noticed these pigeons in our backyard lately (enjoying the Cockatiel birdseed mix that I picked up at Lulu--bless the pigeons--they are the only ones who will eat it! Who knew birds were so picky?). I guess they have a nest somewhere, as this little fella has been toddling around our yard all day, being fed by mom and dad periodically. He finally roosted on top of a brick, and I believe he is bunkered there for the night.

When I am nursing, A & N have to resort to playing around the area where I am 'bunkered down' (with my nursing cushion). So, all the fun usually happens AROUND the coffee table--until Baby N decided to change things up a bit. I asked little A to check on him (b/c though I could hear him, I could not see him and am always worried he'll slam his fingers in something). She wandered around the coffee table and said "I can HEAR him, but I can't SEE him.". Until she bent down and found him IN the coffee table. What a curious george he is!!

Amar & Aunty Zana

Here we are on a Tuesday morning. Amarjit and Aunty Zana both came for a visit. Even though Amar lives in ARG, I actually have seen her LESS in the last year than Farzana (currently residing in Scotland). Amar is actually more like a half-time resident of the UAE, as she spends a lot of time back in Malaysia. I met her through Farzana, and wish that I saw her more than I do (but her trips back home keep cutting into our visiting time!!).

36

Family Birthday Photo (Phinn is under the table)

Yesterday, I officially turned 36.

I really enjoyed my day and even got a few surprises to make it very special.

In the morning I played basketball with little A outside. She has a great overhand shot (Uncle Chris would be proud). We collected some flowers from the yard, examined them for ants and pollen, and then put them in a vase inside. Little A has her own vase (a small glass yogurt container that we kept as a souvenir from our trip to Qasr Al Sarab).

As I was feeding baby N (after he woke up from his nap), there was a knock on my door. Still in my 'loungewear' (which I can wear day OR night--the new mom's clothing of choice), I was a bit surprised, as nobody was expected (and not many friends here know when my birthday is). It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise as my friend Farzana popped her head around the door and came bouncing in (literally) to wish me happy birthday. She had brought a present and another friend, Femme (who also brought a present). It was a very short (but sweet) visit, and I was grateful for it.

I managed to squeeze in a 'happy-birthday-to-me' shower in the morning, as I asked Malou to watch the babes for 15 minutes. Then we moved on to lunch and nap-time. Baby N was the first to wake up, and we enjoyed reading a book about farm animals together, while he had his milk. As we were playing upstairs, Peter came home from work. He took baby N downstairs (after fiddling around for a bit) and I was surprised when I heard what sounded like a very VERBAL baby N. I thought to myself that baby N doesn't talk THAT much with me--and found myself a bit jealous that he enjoyed 'talking' with his dad so much.

When I strained to listen in, I noticed that it wasn't actually baby N's voice I was hearing, but that of another child. I couldn't identify WHICH child for sure, but definitely not one that I had birthed. I was so pleased when I came downstairs to see that Peter had invited my friend Shariza (who brought her daughter Arysha) to help us eat a big tray of cupcakes!!

With Shariza and Arysha

We chowed down on some delicious cupcakes (though I maintain that my own red velvet are superior), and enjoyed some lovely company. Little A really got into playing with Arysha and they even exchanged stories about how they had each acquired various cuts and bruises. We followed up with an order of Sumo Sushi for supper, and an episode of Glee.

What a great birthday!! Thanks to all who sent good wishes my way--you made my day!

36

The (Not Quite) One Month Party

The Chinese Symbol for Rabbit

We have been busy little bees the last couple of days, planning and preparing for NB's First Moon Birthday party. I have had TWO goals, with respect to this party:

1. To not leave too much food preparation for the last day. Usually we run ourselves ragged the day OF a party, as we have left too much food prep for the last day (in an effort to make sure it is all fresh).

2. To keep the party small. As NB is so young, I did not want her to be frightened or uncomfortable with a lot of people. Plus, as her immunity is still fragile, I did not want to expose her to too many foreign pathogens.

Making the red eggs with my best helper

(& now we don't have to dye Easter Eggs!!

I love two-for-one activities!!)

I managed to accomplish my first goal. Peter decided to use a local restaurant to cater his contribution to the event (the meat portion). So, basically I got to monopolize Malou's energies and got her to make a fresh fruit salad, and deep fry the green onion cakes and pakoras (yes--Punjabi Chef was in the house sans recipe--mom you would be very proud as the pakoras were delicious and many of my Indian contemporaries found them delicious).

Even with a last minute cancellation (party of four), number 2 did not happen. Though we did try our very best to keep the guest list small, we still ended up with a lot of people. We loved that we had such a great turn-out, and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Here are some memorable events:

*Little A was delighted that Aunty Zana (who surprised me tremendously by just showing up--she is in AD for a short trip from Scotland and I wasn't holding out much hope that she would make it as she'd only flown in that morning) remembered her in the form of a sticker book (a very ELABORATE sticker book--the most amazing I have every seen), and it did not leave her hands the entire time. In fact, we had a rather tough time prying it out of her hands at bed-time and even then, she kept it by her bed-side. Note to anybody buying a gift for an almost four year old girl--STICKER BOOKS!!

Mirha and the Rabbit baby

*NB S got so many lovely gifts, and was adored by all (whenever she took the time to peep her head out from under my nursing cover). She managed to get a few cuddles from few of the ladies, though the 'menfolk' seemed rather hesitant to approach--perhaps it was the nursing cover and what was underneath that held them back? I am actually feeling quite overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends--a thank-you card (which will likely be home-made, and which will likely take a LONG time to hand out) will not be able to adequately describe the thankfulness that is in my heart (but it will have to do).

Thanks Uncle Raj and Aunty Patti for NB's gifts!

* Baby N had a lovely time playing with anyone and everyone. How lucky am I (especially considering he is over my weight limit for carrying) that he is so friendly and goes to practically anybody? As soon as he woke up, he was passed from one person to the next, and spent a great deal of time joyfully playing with our friend Zee's older children. Peter has decided he needs to go to nursery, although I have clarified that N likes to play with OLDER children who actively engage with him (not ones his own age)...which can be translated to mean: 'over my dead body' (but who knows--maybe I'll feel differently at a later date and time?).

*I had a very embarrassing wardrobe malfunction (argh! stupid nursing tops!!) and hopefully my relationship with Mr. Ajay ("Uhhh-jay--NOT Ay-jay" as Little A will correct her dad endlessly) is not irreparably damaged. Ajay (who didn't quite make it as far as Al Ain this time, but still managed to take a more scenic route than he would have liked) had brought his parents along, and it was really nice to meet Jagjit and Nandini. I had to laugh when Jagjit told me 'after I saw the mosque for the third time, I knew we were a little lost, but I decided not to say anything and just let him find the way'. Ajay has very loving parents. I don't know many Indian parents who are able to refrain from telling their children what to do.

By the end of the evening (around 5:45 pm), we were all toast. Both A and N slept until 7 am (and they are usually both up by 6 a.m.) the following morning.

Shariza and family (with NB S)

**NB: The pictures I have included in today's blog are not necessarily from the party. We had only ONE photographer (who was also required to hostess, care for children, & nurse a newborn baby) and so we didn't end up with a lot of photos from the day. Too bad! We will have to take more on April 24 (the actual ONE MONTH) to make up for it.**

The Maiden Voyage

While NB was fast asleep in her swing (with a low probability of waking for hours as she was full to the brim with breast milk), I decided to take her big brother and sister outside. The winds have died down, and I feel it is important for them to occasionally breathe air that isn't artificially chilled.

With Malou's help to load (and unload) baby N, we popped him into the push tricycle. Little A was content to push, until we got to the curb of the sidewalk outside our villa, where she suddenly realized a desire to ride her OWN bike. So, we had to turn around and go back and get it. Unfortunately, I did not get the camera again.

Baby N had a few "I'm the king of the world" Titanic moments (where he then had to be pushed back down into a seated position), and overall seemed to really enjoy the experience. It was a delight to see his big sister making an effort to use her own legs to pedal her bike (though she got fwustwated many times when the unlevel sidewalks of Raha Gardens caused her to lose traction and made her pedalling useless).

It was a very short ride (about five minutes), but we all really enjoyed it.

Punjabi Chef

It seems that the wind has been blowing for over a week now. We are supposed to be taking NB S outside for some 'phototherapy'--but with the extreme winds, that hasn't been happening. For the first few days, there was a great deal of sand blowing around as well (which isn't good for anyone's respiratory system).

Sunday night, NB S experienced her first 'storm'. We had sheet lightning, and a pittance of rainfall--a whopping four minutes of downpour. Had we lived on the other end of Raha Gardens (which Peter tells me is 5 km away), we would have had four HOURS of rain (I love rain!!). However, it was enough to keep the sand down and I am grateful for that (probably not as grateful as Malou who is on the front-lines in the sand war).

But the wind continues to blow, and I want to take the babes outside for a walk--but nobody wants to walk a newborn in a crazy windstorm.

I am happy to report that my feet are returning to their normal 'cute' state. The children can actually step on my feet without causing me extreme pain, and I think I could actually slip on my Birkenstocks again (if I actually was going anywhere). I have also enjoyed walking up and down the stairs a few times, without having to use the railing to hoist myself up each step--that's how much the pain in my hips has subsided. Yahoo!!

Today, in an effort to use what little groceries we have in the house (thank goodness I put 'grocery shopping' as a priority the day before NB S was born) I made some Indian food (North Indian to be specific--which I have discovered living out here that you must be). I attempted to make aloo, mutter with paneer (translation: potatoes and peas with indian cottage cheese).

Last week, we discovered that a bunch of lovely tomatoes had gotten bruised and battered in the fridge. So, I took a page from my mom's book of 'waste not-want not', cut off all the bruised bits, chopped them into small cubes and stored them in a ziploc container in the fridge (see--I'm not totally my mom yet as she would have likely put them in a ziploc bag in the freezer). This week, I have been worried that the tomatoes that I saved from the garbage, would STILL end up in the garbage (but with extra efforts wasted on prepping them). I found some big potatoes under the sink and we generally always have onions. So, despite the time limits I have (as I am usually attached to NB S, nursing in a chair), I made an effort to get organized and make this dish (which involved quite a bit of juggling).

Boy--was it worth it! Both of the 'food critics' in this house (Peter and Malou) were very happy with the results. Malou continues to ask me if I have written the recipe down for this (to which I reply 'no--I just went with what came out of my head'--of course based on my mom's recipes, but I had to guesstimate all the spice amounts as I had a LOT of tomatoes to use!!).

We sent Malou off in a silver taxi to do the grocery shopping (this is the second day in a row that Peter has asked if we REALLY need the groceries--to which I replied: only if we actually want to eat). I am not driving yet or I would go myself. This worked out really well, as she knows what we need in the fridge, and she gets out of the house to do something different. The timing was poor, as in the evenings groceries are pretty picked over (for example, there was no lettuce left), but it meant that we got in our family time, despite the fact that Peter also had a late meeting AND an evening meeting as well.

Today, Phinn has been eating a diet of rice and egg to help his settle his tummy. N has learned that he can climb and sit on top of containers. A has been working on 'sharing' with N and NB S has learned she prefers the banana flavour of Salinol to the (minty?) Ovol drops.

Tomorrow I think I will make some pasta sauce with the remainder of the tomatoes. Pretty low on the 'labour intensity' scale. Additionally, I have to start preparing for NB S's 'First Moon Birthday' which we are hosting (a week early) on Friday.

A picture for Naniji

It feels good to be getting things done around here. On Saturday we finally made hand & foot prints for all of our little ones (to fill the various frames and growth charts that accompanied the kits).

On Sunday I decided enough was enough of baby N's wild and carefree hair look, and it was time to take care of things once and for all. So, with my helpers (little A and Malou) we moved his Stokke chair out into the garden (where Mother Nature could help with the clean-up), got out the scissors, and trimmed him into a whole new (cute) baby.

I was a bit apprehensive about going too short. I am by no means an expert hairdresser (my parents didn't let me take Beauty Culture in high school although I really wanted to). However, the results were smashing and he has been complimented many times (okay, okay--so it's only by little A, Malou and Peter...but every little bit counts). I am quite proud of my own work (and hope that it won't be a one off).

Here is a picture for Naniji. I have a similar picture of little A suckling on her thumb too (but it never took--she prefers the pacifying effects of the 'soo-bee' over her own digits). My mom insists that I must've posed the the picture and then snapped it. I didn't back then, and I haven't now either mom. Here is NB S, sucking her thumb--so very cute. Nice to see that her habit of keeping her hands on her face in utero (thus making 3D ultrasounds very difficult) continues on.

Here Comes Peter Cotton-tail...

...Hopping down the bunny trail! Hippety, hoppety, Easter's on its way!!

We have been busy 'taking care of business'. We spent Thursday at Abu Dhabi Mall, where the Canadian Embassy is located. Our intention was to kill a few birds with one stone: we had to apply for NB S's passport, use up some gift certificates (before they expired, which was happening soon) and see if I could return/exchange some baby bottles we had purchased, which we weren't going to be using (as NB S seems to be on board with breast-feeding).

I was a bit uncomfortable taking NB S out to THE MALL when she was so small (just two weeks old), but Peter insisted we needed to get moving on the passport and citizenship card. So, we had the whole morning planned out:

1. Peter goes early in the morning to get our friend Zee to notarize NB S's passport photos.

2. We go to Peter's office and pick up NB S's birth certificate (which was supposed to be ready by 9:30).

3. We head to AD Mall at a low traffic time, and drop off the application and supporting documents. We need to take NB S, because they have to look at her to see that she is actually the baby in the photograph (naively, I wondered why--I guess the concept of 'raising terrorists' is still very unreal to me--that's the kind of world I choose to continue to live in).

4. We do our other mall errands (which I have decided is: H&M and Premaman)

5. We are back home by noon.

Guess how far we got down the list before there was a problem?

Number 2.

The guy at Peter's office who was supposed to have this birth certificate done on Wednesday (and then by 9:30 on Thursday) didn't manage to hit any of these 'deadlines'. So, we ended up waiting for HIM til 11. Then we had to rush, because the embassy closed at NOON.

Number 3: Well--though we came prepared with ALL of our paperwork (and our baby), it seems that we need to APPLY to APPLY for citizenship (do you follow?). As there are new rules with respect to citizenship, everyone who applies for citizenship has to fill out an application to determine whether they are eligible to apply for citizenship--you know--so that nobody is wasting anybody's time (hmmmmm...does this sound EFFICIENT to anyone??). So--basically, we will be going back to the embassy once again (after they approve our application to apply for citizenship).

And--then the rest of it went well. We got A a ballerina dress at H&M, and Premaman allowed me to exchange our baby bottles for a nursing bra (which I desperately needed). As an added bonus, we even managed to spend our AD Mall GC's (unexpectedly pleasant!) on a Plasma-carfor A (which will get passed down the line).

Now--just a side note about the Plasma Car. The first store we saw it in was closed (surprising). Peter thought it would be a great way to spend our certificates. So, when we saw another one at Gulf Greeting, we were pretty happy. Peter tried to get A to sit on it (to see if she would drive it) and she refused. Then I noticed that this was not a REAL Plasma-car, but something called the "Wiggle Car"--a poor knock-off. So, we decided due to the lack of interest and the fact that it wasn't the original prize-winning car, to pass. However, on our way back to the car, we noticed that the store that had been closed only minutes before, was now open. We decided to check it out, and found that the REAL Plasma Car they sold was actually cheaper than the knock-off--and this persuaded us to take the plunge and buy the car. If A never rode on it, we had two more that might give it a go down the line.

We got home (finally) much later than expected (around 2 pm). After A's nap we started on some Easter crafts (she really likes crafts). When they were done, and I was cleaning up, A toddled over to the car, hopped on and began riding it.

I was amazed. Now I know why this car has won awards!!

Look out Mario Andretti!

The First Bath

When I was put on bed-rest with Little A, my co-workers from Donnan put together a lovely gift package for me, that contained all sorts of things to keep me busy while I was lying around. I really enjoyed the thoughtfulness of it all (there were all kinds of yarn and patterns for knit and crochet--something I was learning at the time). My friends Matt and Marci brought it over to the house at lunch-time, along with lunch. Matt took Phinn out for a quick walk, and I had a great visit to break-up my day (otherwise, it was a lot of me, my knitting needles and Smallville). All the gifts were packed up neatly in a little blue First Years baby bath-tub. We have gotten a lot of use out of that tub, and each and every one of my babies has had their first bath in there.

The 'Helpers' playing with peacock feathers

Today, we took the time to give NB S her first massage and bath. They actually did not bathe her in the hospital as they said she was very clean (plus, Nurse Cecile told me that the NICU was 'toxic' because there were several really sick babies in there, and they likely wanted to limit the exposure the healthy babies had to them). We have not been in a rush to give her a bath--our priority has been feeding and sleep (for New Baby, not me). Peter has taken two more days off, today and Wednesday (he'll be back to golf, errr...make that WORK...on Thursday) so we decided today would be a good massage and bath day.

Who doesn't love a good massage?

The massage was very successful. Using ancient massage techniques passed along to me through the Hindu collective unconscious (and reinforced at the Bonnie Doon New Mom's Group), NB S had a very successful and enjoyable massage (as evidenced by the quiet contemplative looks, the pee and the poo).

Rub-a-dub-dub!

We are also pleased to have our first baby who enjoyed the water from the first immersion. Although A & N love it now, both of them were quite unhappy in their first bathing experiences. We wrapped her up, brushed her hair and she slowly drifted off to sleep. I thought she might enjoy some milk before heading to dreamland, but apparently the whole experience was very relaxing and enjoyable for her.

Off to dream-land

What does 700 aed of chocolate look like?

In the west, when you have a baby it's traditional to pass out cigars. When we had little A, we bought our 'cigars' from Bernard Callebaut, and they were pink.

Here, in the east, the tradition seems to be to buy one of these large chocolate baskets (there are specialty stores dedicated to making them) and to supply enough chocolate for a small country. We bought one when baby N was born, all in shades of blue, with a sweet little blue teddy bear on top. As these come from 'local' shops, you often need someone local to do the purchasing for you. Peter's employee, Musabah, organized both the baskets for baby N and NB S on our behalf. He also loaned us his personal gift basket (apparently, locals just BUY a basket that is re-used) to fill with chocolates.

As if she isn't sweet enough!!

NB: I only got to keep about 8 of these chocolates, and the teddy bear (for NB S's keepsakes). Let me tell you--I have yet to find a chocolate here that has HALF the flavour of a Bernard Callebaut bar. The Patchi just doesn't do it for me.

Braveheart

Our own William Wallace

This morning it was a bit sad to see Peter get dressed and head off to work. With both little A and baby N he took an entire month off of work to spend some time at home bonding and helping out. However, this year 'we' decided (or someone decided--I'm still on the fence) that 'we' would save his vacation time for a summer trip back to Canada. With a friend's wedding and Peter's sister getting married, it is a good summer to return (two big events), but I'm still nervous about how I will manage with three children. I guess today will be a good test (although not really, b/c I am still very dependent on our helper to lift baby N when required, and to do anything that requires going up and down stairs).

Professional Pudding Painter

(she even has a bowl of pudding on the side for eating!)

Speaking of our helper, we have just given her a little raise, and thus ensured her happiness for the next year or so. We have also confirmed that she will be going home for a holiday in August, during Ramadan, and thus we will be back here during Ramadan. I have mixed feelings about this, as it will be seriously hot outside, but Peter will also be working "Ramadan hours," so he will leave home for work later and come home earlier (so, more 'family time'). The alternative, is that myself and my three children will spend August on our own in Canada. I know that many ex-pat families do this, but I am not interested in separating our family for a month (unless it is absolutely necessary).

We had a very nice weekend. As predicted none of our guests showed up on Friday (so we did some finger-painting--baby N's first time). On Saturday we were visited by Uncle Pete and his new friend Maia (a Goan lady from Southern California). Maia is here on a contract and seems to be considering whether this is a place where she would like to relocate her family. She seems to be a lovely lady and very knowledgeable about a great many things (which Peter tells me is a very 'Indian' trait). We had a long visit, and ordered delivery from India Palace for lunch.

'Iz-me' and 'Mini-iz-me'

NB S is settling in to our home. She is a lovely baby, and has even learned that diaper changes can be nice and pleasant experiences that are not to be confused with Chinese water torture. Everyone in our home adores her. I'm not sure who is MORE protective of her, little A or Phinn. Little A often sits and plays quietly around her, and the minute she makes a peep, it's a race between the big sister and the big (chocolate pomeranian) brother to get to her first. Little A makes sure that Phinn does not harass NB S by being overly affectionate. She has learned to say 'Phinn OFF' with a great deal of authority (and kindness). Baby N is still not overly interactive with the new baby, but considering his fine motor skills and limited ability to grasp the word 'gentle', this is preferable. Still, whenever NB S is presented to him, she never fails to bring a six-toothed smile to his face.

I need to take a minute and commend Phinn on his maturity. This is the first time we've brought a baby home (and it seems over the years we have brought many--not just our own, but our friends' babies who have come to visit as well), that Phinn has not gone 'crazy' and needed to stay outside of the home. When little A was born, we had to put him on meds to help him calm down, and he had to spend some time with our neighbours (Colin and Caroline--we miss you!!) so the meds could kick in. With baby N, even WITH the meds (which we introduced before bringing the baby home), Phinn was a panting, barking mess, and had to spend a few days with our helper in her room. This time I didn't bother with any meds and just figured he could spend some time in our helper's room, but it wasn't necessary. He was very excited to meet NB S, but there was no barking or panting. He came, he saw, he loved, and he left her alone. We still have to watch him as he will jump up on the sofa to see her (that's where she is sleeping most of the time), but as already mentioned, he is often countered by NB S's big sister.