Great Weekend...to old friends and new friends

We had a great (and busy) weekend. We caught up with so many people (and Little A managed to sleep til past 6 a.m.).

Thursday night we were off to Shahama to see Drica and Antonio. Friday we had Hope, Rob and Faith pop over for an afternoon of painting and play. It is so nice to see Little A not being 'shy' and sharing all her toys and paint. The only tears that were shed, happened when Faith left the house with the pink slippers we loaned her (they are beautiful, every little girl's a dream...a gift from Amara's Mammiji...sadly, just too small, though that didn't stop her from wearing them around). Saturday, I was reunited with my friend Farzana and her husband, back from her vacation to Scotland. Then, in the evening, we spent time with our friend Lisa (who is moving back home to Canada) and we were joined by our neighbours from across the lane, Michael and Sara (a young German couple).

Very busy, but also very fun weekend!! Kind of felt like being 'home' for once--sharing good laughs and conversation with friends!

koo-koo very MUCH!

This is one of the new phrases little A has been using this week. I made her several play-do bunnies, and for each and every one, she exclaimed with delight "koo koo very MUCH" (translation: thank-you very much). The maintenance guys came to fix our port in one of our bedrooms and as they were leaving, you could hear a small voice singing out 'koo koo very MUCH', as the door was closing on them. It's just so darling!

Today's phrase (I believe the words are mine, but the tone is definitely her pappa's): "What are you talking about?". It is usually said with a furrowed brow (she inherited that from her dad and has been making the face since birth...it's genetic I think). She's been asking me and Malou this question all day, even when it is irrelevant.

Another essential conversational phrase in our home: "Phinny no wicking me" (see also "Phinny no kissing me"). Apparently Phinny is being overly affectionate with her, and gives her lots of licks, hence, "Phinny no wicking me".

We have joined the Officer's Club, and little A and I have been to the pool twice. We opted to go on "Ladies Only" swim days, in the case that my immodest swim wear may be offensive to the locals (it's a maternity swimsuit, topped off with a too tight swim cap...junior size...while I wait for my shipment from the US). It seems that the Club is not too strict on enforcing the "Ladies Only" policy, as both days we have gone, there has been a man in the pool.

Little A loves swimming and I'm glad to be able to take her regularly now. The baby pool is quite nice--the water is heated and the pool is indoors. Today we hopped around in the bigger tank as well (there was nobody there other than a lifeguard doing lengths) and she really seemed to enjoy it. She sat on the big red slide, and gleefully jumped into my arms.

We spent the first day of Ramadan (Saturday) eating all afternoon long (in the privacy of our friends' villa of course), at our friends Monique and Mark (an Australian-American couple, with two little boys), and watching a rugby final. It was Australia versus New Zealand, and they invited three other families: one Australian, and the other two from New Zealand. We, as Canadians, were neutral. P got into the rugby, and really enjoyed the action. I was very impressed by the fitness of the athletes...very big quads and pecs, but spent most of the time with little A ('home now' is also one of her expressions which she usually pulls out about two minutes after we arrive in somebody's home) trying to distract her (with food and toys). Everyone was so lovely. It was a great afternoon, and it felt very easy and comfortable...just like home. A great way to usher in the first day of Ramadan.

Last night P felt his son kick for the first time. I have been feeling it for quite some time now, and have been waiting for him to be able to enjoy it as well. I have moved down into our guest bedroom now to sleep. My hip has been giving me a great deal of pain (again), so a few nights ago, when I had to hold the banister to drag myself up the stairs, I decided I wouldn't bother and would just sleep on the main floor. The next morning, I woke up, and though the pain was still there, it was dramatically reduced. Then I remembered...I think the SAME THING happened to me during my FIRST pregnancy. We had just purchased the tempurpedic bed, and I began to experience extreme pain in my back and hips. Then, after moving to our old bed, with a firmer mattress, the symptoms were greatly alleviated. I think there is something about the tempurpedic-how it is engineered to fill in your curves...when your pregnant there are so many more curves...and so much more weight..that things can get out of alignment very easily if you don't get the right amount of support. Plus...now I don't get woken up when little A starts calling out for 'momma' in her sleep on the baby monitor (P just keeps on sleeping through).

Still really enjoying True Blood. What a great show...and each episode just leaves you hanging!! I wish I had the box-set of books...I could devour them so quickly. I wonder if we'll ever see an episode where Jason Stackhouse manages to keep his shirt on for the ENTIRE episode? Although..if you've got it...

Speaking of books, I have just finished "The Holy Woman". It was heartbreaking (but with a happy ending), and I sobbed my way through to the finish. This book resulted in me losing hours of sleep (as I stayed up late to read and sometimes read during my morning 'nap time'). I would recommend it to anyone. I have heard there is a second book called "Typhoon"...I will have to try and get my hands on it. I have also been trying to read about the Mad Trapper, (apparently an infamous Canadian historical figure who neither of us had ever heard of until my friend Barbara told us about her new writing project...what ARE they teaching in schools these days??), but this has been difficult as P is also trying to read the same book at the same time...so it keeps disappearing on me. My friend Barbara also sent me her latest ghost stories book...but it freaks me out, so I never read it before bed...I can only read a few stories at a time before I have redirect my attention elsewhere. Malou, on the other hand, gobbled this book up (much like "Haunted Hotels"...she loves non-fiction...especially scary non-fiction).

My New Addressbook

I've spent an hour writing down addresses the 'old-fashioned way' in my new address book, which cost 21 aed. How can I STILL be missing some of my friends mailing addresses?? How is it even possible?

It's a thing of beauty, and unlike my palm pilot, it will never 'crash'. It might burn in a fire, or get soaked and all the letters might blur...but the day will never come when I will press the power button and nothing will happen.

Yes...too bad my back-up on the hard-drive was wiped out when the hard-drive crashed.

And I thought I was past the 'smells make me sick' phase...

I was so happy with the passing of the first trimester, as I could welcome food back into my life (without throwing up at the smell).

Well...how wrong was I??

We came home this afternoon and were greeted by the smell of something seriously rotten throughout our home. Seriously, P noticed it first, and was disgusted by it. He immediately (and correctly) blamed Malou, and then it fell to me (as the 'ma'am') to 'speak to her' about it.

So here's the conversation:

Me: Malou, do you smell something?
Malou: Smell? You smell something ma'am?
Me: Yes, there is a very strong smell here. Did you cook something while we were out?
Malou: No. You smell something bad ma'am?
Me: Yes. Very bad. You didn't have any food while we were out?
Malou: Yes ma'am. You can smell it?
Me: Yes Malou. It's very strong. The whole house smells like it.
Malou: Oh. I just eat dried fish. The smell is very strong...?
Me: Yes Malou. Next time please turn on the fan and close the kitchen door. That's what we do whenever we cook food that smells strong.

Apparently, this extremely malodorous food was dried fish (apologies to any of my friends who enjoy this food...no offence intended but I'm sure you will agree...it isn't the most pleasant smelling food on the face of the earth). If you've ever smelled Chinese fish sauce and find the smell repugnant, multiply the smell by 12 and that's what our house smelled like. Otherwise, substitute in something you find extremely off-putting scent-wise, multiply it, and there you go.

This was sent to her from her mom in the Philippines, carried over in her friend's luggage (where I'm sure the environment was temperature controlled!) and then hand-delivered here, where it has likely been stored in her closet (in a room where often, the temperature often soars high above the 30's--my direct orders to keep the a/c to 27 are often ignored). So, I also had a word with her about how little interest I have in repeating the 'food poisoning incident' of last week (although, seriously, I cannot imagine that even listeria would want to live on that fish!!).

After much a/c, kitchen fan on high and then a spritz of odour neutralizer spray (which I hate to use...just more chemicals in the house) the house was just getting back to good.

That's when P decided it was time to heat up his goat/lamb curry...

Donut Peaches

When we lived in Canada, we were not able to afford the flashy and pricey 'donut peaches' which would appear seasonally in Safeway. Imagine my surprise when I discovered "Angeer Peaches" aka "Donut Peaches" aka "Saturn Peaches" being sold at my local Lulu Express for 6.95aed/kg (when the regular peaches were 10.95aed/kg. I picked handfuls of these peaches, popped them in my bag, and took them home where little A and I (and much later P) enjoy them by the mouthful. Now, I have noticed the prices have increased to 8.95aed/kg, but, nonetheless, for the amount of enjoyment we all experience when we eat them, the extra 2 dirham is worthwhile.

Just coming off day 4 of a miserable cold (the second since my return from England). Possibly the fresh British air has compromised my system, which at this point is only used to breathing in air conditioning. Whatever it is, I'm happy to have an appointment with (what seems on paper to be) a competent obgyn in Dubai on the 17th. I'm very excited to have a look at my baby, and make sure that everything is healthy.

P has been glasses free for a week now. Last Thursday he had the lasik procedure performed. Little A and I shopped (and got some great deals I might add) at the Next store, and then stopped in at the Rotana Hotel for some lunch, while P had the work done. Then we drove him home, and the stress began. It seems he had been prescribed three different kinds of eyedrops, and the pharmacy in the main floor of the building where the operation was carried out, was closed (Abu Dhabi split shift...very common). We stopped in at the New Al Noor Hospital pharmacy (trip 1), who carried two out of three of his prescriptions. Unfortunately, they had never heard of and did not carry the third (and all important) antibiotic eyedrop. Three pharmacies and two hours later, I learned that the ONLY pharmacy in Abu Dhabi carrying the eyedrop P required, was the one in the main floor of the building where the surgery happened. Since this would have been a 45 minute drive (each way...traffic), the pharmacist offered me the approved alternative (which, later on we found to be a much better antibiotic than the prescribed one).

So, P was in recovery and out of commission on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, I was awoken from my nap to learn that Malou was experiencing extreme stomache cramps and would need to be taken to the hospital. Thankfully, my friend Louise was spending the night, and she helped get Malou into the car (where fortunately, she did NOT throw up) and accompanied me to the new Al Noor Hospital (trip 2), where Malou was determined to have food poisoning, as was put on an iv drip for glucose and pain killers. Though she claims she did not eat anything out, it was odd that none of the rest of us in the house got sick (as we've all been eating the same home-cooking all week--no kidding--I 'meal-planned'!!!). So, I left her there to get her drip (not wise for a pregnant lady to sit around in the E/R), and picked her up (trip 3) two hours later, all better, with three different prescriptions.

On Sunday, Little A had her doctor's appointment (trip 4 NANH), and we learned that she is a healthy and intelligent two year-old. She is small (5th percentile) but proportionately so, and the doctor felt this was of no concern. He feels that if P's genes kick in, she will be 5'4" (an average height) at best. At worst, she'll be as tall as me. But everything went well. He recommended that we get her Hep A shots (trip 5 NANH)and a chickenpox booster, as apparently those are the two most serious illnesses in this region. We got her the Hep A shot on Tuesday (after I conferred with my medical professionals back home) and will hold off on the chicken pox booster until I am no longer pregnant (probably get her and her sibling done together).

She didn't even cry when she got her needle!! She's so brave!! I told her it would be a pinch (and then gave her a little soft pinch) and she was just a doll!!

Personal goal for next week: do not go to the New Al Noor Hospital (not even once)

My Summer Vacation

So, we spent a month (or just a little under) in the United Kingdom: Loch Lomond, Edinburgh, Surrey, Farnham, Brighton and Central London. Though at times, travelling with a picky eating toddler was tough, we really enjoyed ourselves. The scenery of Scotland, particularly Loch Lomond, was amazing, and reminded me of our very own mountain range, the Rockys. We spent our days making short little trips out from our cottage, and little A was introduced to a new variety of cow: the highland cow. She also enjoyed seeing sheep, regular cows, swans and ducks, on a daily basis.

My little girl's language really took off on this trip. Starting with 'this one' before we left, she expanded her sentences all the way to include: "no papa, move feet, dirty" giving her daddy's feet a shove off of my lap, and making us both burst into laughter. She also regularly used 'I sigh' to alert me when she felt uncomfortable around strangers, and more endearingly "I sigh papa" when she didn't want to go to her dad. Despite her previously sleeping issues, and all the sleeping she had to do in different locations, she did a fabulous job sleeping on this holiday (especially in Scotland, which I attribute to all the fresh air and the time she spent in it).

There were some big things that happened while we were on vacation. Before I went to bed one night, P informed me that Farah Fawcett had passed away. When I woke up in the morning, he told me that Michael Jackson had also died. The second passing far eclipsed the first in my mind. Oddly enough, we had been discussing the set of concerts he had scheduled the day before, with P expressing interest in going. I shrugged off the question of whether I wanted to go or not, and said (in a pre-cognitive kind of way) that I didn't think Michael would go through with the concerts; I had already read he was extremely stressed about the prospects of performing so many in such a short period of time (I believe it was 50). I told P that it was likely they would be called off due to 'exhaustion' or some other reason. However, the death of the artist was not one of the reasons I considered.

Like most, I found myself deeply saddened by the passing. I have always felt that Michael Jackson was the only wealthy person that I could feel sorry for. He had lived this amazing life, created some of the best music in the history of the world, and done a lot of positive things for mankind, and yet, he was doomed to live an unhappy life. He could never really enjoy any of it, as all of the sacrifices he made to get where he was, extracted a great toll on him. We spent some time watching the memorial in Brighton, while little A slept, and I found myself deeply moved by the sentiments expressed by some (Brooke Shields, Smoky Robinson and finally at the end, Marlon Jackson). Obviously, I feel sadness and fear for the 'Jackson 3' that Michael has left behind...as messed up as they would've likely been being raised by MJ...I think the prospects of being raised by Grandma, without the anonymity they used to have, is far more frightening. I guess only time will tell...perhaps she will have learned something from the past, and will do right by these children.

Where ever Michael Jackson may be now, I wish him the peace that eluded him so much in this life.

There are so many more things to share about our holiday...but I am feeling a little tired myself now, and since Little A has finally gone to sleep (at least I hope that's what the 30 minutes of quiet is indicating), I think I might go and join her. Although there is so much I want to do in this 'me' time (while little A sleeps) I feel the best thing I can do is rest, for the little one that is growing and relying on my body to fulfill its needs.

long time no blog...

So...here are the few thoughts floating around in my mind that (if I had some extra energy) I might really sit down and ponder:

1. My mom's brother passed away. She is obviously devastated. It made me think about when her other brother passed away (also very unexpectedly). I had just gotten married and was coming 'home' to take Oliver for a walk (something I think I did every day until my parents moved to Red Deer and I took Oliver full-time). She was still very upset at me b/c of my marriage, and usually was very non-chalant whenever I came home. This time, she just kept following me around and staying close to me...and I could feel that something was wrong. Though she probably didn't even greet me when I arrived, I could tell that something 'heavy' was coming, and she just burst out with the story of her brother's death. I'm sure I was the last person she wanted to get support from at that time...unfortunately, b/c my dad was working in Forestburg, and my brother was in Calgary, I was all she had. So, I did the best I could. I am sad to not be able to offer her more this time.

2. My friend Drica's baby Benjamin. Drica is the epitome of the relaxed Brazillian. She had an scheduled c-section and this morning at 6:00 a.m. went into the hospital to deliver Benjamin. I was at the hospital having a blood test when something clicked in my brain that today was the 28th...and the date Benjamin was going to be born. So, I popped up to the maternity ward, and there she was: a room full of people, her daughter Luz crying and screaming to fight to retain all that had been exclusively hers, and Drica lying in the bed, in the middle of it all...just relaxed and breast-feeding the new and tiny Benjamin. She had even packed 'gifts' for all of her hospital visitors...man...is THAT what an epidural does??

3. Housemaid woes. My friend Sharon is having them. She had a whopper of a story today that began with a trip to Dubai, and ended with her housemaid getting slapped in the face and thrown out. In the middle, there was a man hiding in her 2 year old daughter's bedroom, and a housemaid who entertained men in her free-time (read into that what you will...we're not exactly sure WHAT was going on...and we're not entirely sure we want to know).

4. Butterflies. Today Malou caught a beautiful black and yellow butterly for A. She put it into her bug-tent to show her. Little A. was delighted, but also scared (which she tells me by tapping her chest and saying 'Mama scared'). Sadly, the butterfly had a damaged wing (BEFORE Malou caught it, not as a result of) and is likely on her last legs. She also looks very pregnant...so, before we went to bed, we took her out of the bug tent and let her rest in the flowers...

5. The end of nursing. It's very hard to listen to your child screaming for her 'mama'...and begging for 'mewk'...and wanting to give it to her, but knowing the time has come for your wee one to start sleeping through the night. Everyone says I would just KNOW when the time was right...and I feel like it is...but the wailing and the cries...it's heartbreaking.

6. Summer holiday plans. It's too damn hot. We are looking forward to our trip to the UK in June. We've got house-sitting (and house-maid sitting) worked out, and now it's time to just tick off the days on the calender. We're heading to Scotland first (Loch Lomond) and then to England (where we will visit with my family and tour around the countryside).

And I think that's all I can think about thinking about right now. Still not really feeling 'settled' into this life. The heat makes me feel like a prisoner of the villa...but, I'm reserving judgement for a year (although P would tell you I have pronounced many judgements already).

Not sure if anyone is even following my blog anymore...it's been so long since I've updated it...I can see how even my '1 follower' (thank-you Cindy) may have fallen off to the wayside. But, as you can see...I'm still here.