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)