......
well... is that a...? Or is it the umbilical chord... we're not really sure.... so maybe it's a boy? But it could be a girl...
The doctor said she thought it might be a boy, but that the picture was inconclusive. I was having a hard time making anything out on the scans (Round 2 wasn't in an optimal position for getting a good "ultrasound pic", either). Another "scan" of some sort is scheduled for later next week. Alison informs me via facebook that it's not an x-ray, but rather "some kind of safer, better scan."
We'll keep you posted.
Aug 27, 2009
Aug 24, 2009
A Book Review; Tidbits; Ramadan
One of the best fiction books I've read, and one of the only books I've read more than once. Yes, its about rabbits - but its a fantastic epic-hero story. If you have a chance, read the book. Its a children s book (along the reading level of the Harry Potter books), so it reads fairly easily and quickly.
In other news:
Ramadan has started, the month of fasting for Muslims. This means it is law that people cannot eat or drink in public (which I accidentally did the other day... oops!). Muslims fast during the daylight hours, from dawn until dusk every day for around 28 days. At night they are able to eat, and this usually means visiting family (and clogging up the roads going to visit those families). It doesn't sound like that big a deal to fast during the day, but its actually quite difficult. Doing one or two days like that isn't so bad, but if you stretch it out for a month... well - you get tired of being tired and hungry every day. Especially in the heat. I know because I fasted during Ramadan the first year I was here. It was pretty intense.
In other news: - Going to concentrate on my next book: The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer (Tracy Hogg). I've started it already, and she makes it sound like having an infant is about as easy as having a stuffed animal - if you treat him/her just right! I'm sure it is... I'm sure it is... I think part of her appeal (to Americans, at least) is that she's British. She uses lots of "british" phrases and it all conjures up images of Mary Poppins and the like - the nanny who swoops in and magically fixes all of the children's problems.
- We didn't get to have the ultrasound last Sunday like we were hoping for, so still no word yet on the gender. We've rescheduled for Thursday at 6:30pm. (on a related note - after this and the fiasco with British Air, I'm going to start carrying around a receipt book with me and billing people BD10 for wasting my time).
- I've officially started both my jobs: teaching English at the ACEC and working for our church as the community relations coordinator. I'm really looking forward to it!
Ramadan has started, the month of fasting for Muslims. This means it is law that people cannot eat or drink in public (which I accidentally did the other day... oops!). Muslims fast during the daylight hours, from dawn until dusk every day for around 28 days. At night they are able to eat, and this usually means visiting family (and clogging up the roads going to visit those families). It doesn't sound like that big a deal to fast during the day, but its actually quite difficult. Doing one or two days like that isn't so bad, but if you stretch it out for a month... well - you get tired of being tired and hungry every day. Especially in the heat. I know because I fasted during Ramadan the first year I was here. It was pretty intense.
Aug 22, 2009
Another Baby Update (and a blogging milestone)
This post is my 110th post as a blogger over the last three years. Actually, this previuos was my 100th post, but I forgot to mention the milestone. I couldn't just do "101" or "103" - 110 seems to be the next best thing. I'll try to remember at 150 and/or 200 - which will probably come even sooner as I post updates about Round 2 after he/she is born. "Round 2 walked today!" "Round 2 smiled today!" "Round 2 knocked over his cereal bowl today!" How exciting!!
I may or may not be one of those people that sees every action as a developmental milestone and that milestone coming quicker than the average baby. I may or may not see my baby as significantly smarter and more mature than the average baby. Consider yourself warned. (for more new-parent-relations etiquette, see here).
So speaking of an update on Round 2: we will find out the gender of our baby tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 23rd)! When we get back from the doctors office we will be able let the whole world know. Of course, below is the developmental information for the baby as Alison approaches finishing her 20th week:
One of the amazing things is that the baby has about doubled in size in the last two weeks or so! I think it'll continue those growth spurts over the next few months, too.
Even more exciting is that we've been able to play with him/her over the last few days! He/She has started moving around quite a bit (Alison can feel him/her all the time, and sometimes its enough for me to feel it). There have been times when he/she is really active that if I push on Alison's tummy, the baby will start squirming around even more and push back a little bit. Its a lot of fun!
Alison and I have started moving from pregnancy books to baby books. Here are some of the books we are perusing - either borrowed or owned. Suggestions welcome.
I may or may not be one of those people that sees every action as a developmental milestone and that milestone coming quicker than the average baby. I may or may not see my baby as significantly smarter and more mature than the average baby. Consider yourself warned. (for more new-parent-relations etiquette, see here).
So speaking of an update on Round 2: we will find out the gender of our baby tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 23rd)! When we get back from the doctors office we will be able let the whole world know. Of course, below is the developmental information for the baby as Alison approaches finishing her 20th week:
- He/She weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now.
- 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he/she's measured from head to toe.)
- He/She is swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system.
- He/She is also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his/her first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).
One of the amazing things is that the baby has about doubled in size in the last two weeks or so! I think it'll continue those growth spurts over the next few months, too.
Even more exciting is that we've been able to play with him/her over the last few days! He/She has started moving around quite a bit (Alison can feel him/her all the time, and sometimes its enough for me to feel it). There have been times when he/she is really active that if I push on Alison's tummy, the baby will start squirming around even more and push back a little bit. Its a lot of fun!
Alison and I have started moving from pregnancy books to baby books. Here are some of the books we are perusing - either borrowed or owned. Suggestions welcome.
- The Baby Whisperer
- What to Expect the First Year (the sequel to "What to Expect when You're Expecting")
- Lifespan Psychology (one of my college textbooks! Very exciting)
Aug 17, 2009
Our Bag Has Returned from the Deep Abyss
At midnight last night, after Alison and I had been in bed for almost an hour (I was still awake reading Watership Down), the doorbell rang. A little confused, I went to the door to find someone from the Bahrain Airport with our last bag! This was fantastic news. Apparently, the guy had called 16 times (which I confirmed with 16 missed calls on my mobile), and I hadn't picked up. I'm not sure how long he'd been driving around, but he apparently found our flat. So the saga is over - mostly. I'm still going to type up a letter for British Air and see if we can't get some compensation out of the deal. We still don't recommend you fly BA; or if you do, don't check any bags.
I have also been awake since 6am this morning, working on getting my wireless router set up. After a few phone calls and some internet trouble shooting - I am on security enabled wireless connection! No more cords, no more delicately moving so as not to disconnect the ethernet cable. Such freedom.
So now that we have "fully" arrived in Bahrain, we can be fully focused on getting some of the things done that we need to. Here are some of the things on our to-do list:
1. Get me a Visa: I was able to get a two week visitor visa at the airport, and now I need to work on actually getting my work visa/work permit. It *shouldn't* be a big deal, but... it seems that nothing is without a hassle.
2. Start my new job: I will start next week. I got a large to-do list from someone else at the church, and it was interesting looking at some of the things on there I need to do. I'll keep you posted on those things.
3. Alison will start her job: she's supposed to start next Sunday, but apparently the government has mandated that all private schools will start after eid (which, this year, isn't till the 3rd week in September). Apparently this is due to concerns of a swine flu outbreak here in Bahrain. We're still waiting to see if that will actually happen, but it'd be nice for her if it did!
4. Prepare the baby's room! There are actually a ton of things associated with this: get a new wardrobe for MY room, so we can get rid of my old one that's currently in baby's room; paint the room; clean out all of the junk we don't need (a mammoth task - we tend towards pack-rats); get rid of the desk that's falling apart; find storage for the junk we can't let go of; hang pictures; order more stuff online for our parents to bring out; put together the crib; wash baby clothes; hang pictures given as gifts; play with the toys; etc etc etc.
5. Find out whether Round 2 is a boy or a girl! We have an appointment on the 23rd, which is next Sunday. We'll get an ultra-sound, and then we'll let you know! The name will be kept under wraps until he/she is born, though.
Well, its off to the shower for me. Many things to do.
I have also been awake since 6am this morning, working on getting my wireless router set up. After a few phone calls and some internet trouble shooting - I am on security enabled wireless connection! No more cords, no more delicately moving so as not to disconnect the ethernet cable. Such freedom.
So now that we have "fully" arrived in Bahrain, we can be fully focused on getting some of the things done that we need to. Here are some of the things on our to-do list:
1. Get me a Visa: I was able to get a two week visitor visa at the airport, and now I need to work on actually getting my work visa/work permit. It *shouldn't* be a big deal, but... it seems that nothing is without a hassle.
2. Start my new job: I will start next week. I got a large to-do list from someone else at the church, and it was interesting looking at some of the things on there I need to do. I'll keep you posted on those things.
3. Alison will start her job: she's supposed to start next Sunday, but apparently the government has mandated that all private schools will start after eid (which, this year, isn't till the 3rd week in September). Apparently this is due to concerns of a swine flu outbreak here in Bahrain. We're still waiting to see if that will actually happen, but it'd be nice for her if it did!
4. Prepare the baby's room! There are actually a ton of things associated with this: get a new wardrobe for MY room, so we can get rid of my old one that's currently in baby's room; paint the room; clean out all of the junk we don't need (a mammoth task - we tend towards pack-rats); get rid of the desk that's falling apart; find storage for the junk we can't let go of; hang pictures; order more stuff online for our parents to bring out; put together the crib; wash baby clothes; hang pictures given as gifts; play with the toys; etc etc etc.
5. Find out whether Round 2 is a boy or a girl! We have an appointment on the 23rd, which is next Sunday. We'll get an ultra-sound, and then we'll let you know! The name will be kept under wraps until he/she is born, though.
Well, its off to the shower for me. Many things to do.
Aug 14, 2009
British Air: Deep Abyss of Satan's Lair
Summer Score For British Air:
Bags Checked: 6
Bags Lost: 6
Bags Returned: 1
British Air has been in rare form. Or normal form, as I'm learning. I never thought that it could be this bad. British Air lost all of our bags on the way to the US back in June - including all of Alison's maternity clothes. A few days later, I got MY suitcase back, but Alison was still wearing the same shirt and pants. We did eventually have to go out and buy Alison a whole bunch of clothes.
Fast forward to today.
We check in 4 bags. 1 is a guitar. The other three are suitcases filled with our clothes and all sorts of goodies for the baby like clothes, toys, bath items, and a few personalized gifts from Alison's baby shower. Alison even spread out all of our clothes and baby items evenly between each of the three suitcases just in case one got lost. That way, we would still have clothes to live in until the lost bag returned. But no - all four bags were lost. All that work for nothing (and the guitar is lost as well).
And its not just that our bags didn't make it on the plane, and they know they are sitting in London. No - they completely don't even know where the bags are. Don't even know. Incompetence at it's worst. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE BAGS ARE!! How are they still in business?! Because one thing is for sure - I won't fly them again. I'm not even sure I would fly them if they gave us tickets, unless we weren't checking any bags.
In related news - apparently British Air and US Consular (immigration division) are demon-cousins.
Bags Checked: 6
Bags Lost: 6
Bags Returned: 1
British Air has been in rare form. Or normal form, as I'm learning. I never thought that it could be this bad. British Air lost all of our bags on the way to the US back in June - including all of Alison's maternity clothes. A few days later, I got MY suitcase back, but Alison was still wearing the same shirt and pants. We did eventually have to go out and buy Alison a whole bunch of clothes.
Fast forward to today.
We check in 4 bags. 1 is a guitar. The other three are suitcases filled with our clothes and all sorts of goodies for the baby like clothes, toys, bath items, and a few personalized gifts from Alison's baby shower. Alison even spread out all of our clothes and baby items evenly between each of the three suitcases just in case one got lost. That way, we would still have clothes to live in until the lost bag returned. But no - all four bags were lost. All that work for nothing (and the guitar is lost as well).
And its not just that our bags didn't make it on the plane, and they know they are sitting in London. No - they completely don't even know where the bags are. Don't even know. Incompetence at it's worst. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE BAGS ARE!! How are they still in business?! Because one thing is for sure - I won't fly them again. I'm not even sure I would fly them if they gave us tickets, unless we weren't checking any bags.
In related news - apparently British Air and US Consular (immigration division) are demon-cousins.
Aug 13, 2009
Because it needs to be documented
Every time we travel, I try to travel lighter than before. But somehow, at the end of the trip, we have more than we came with. Its a blessing and a curse. Here is the evidence.
Heading Back Home
It has been a wonderful time in the US. We were in 7 states in 7 weeks, and saw a lot of family and friends. When I get back to Bahrain, I will upload pictures using the new digital camera that my parents got for us for birthday/anniversary/christmas etc. It has been a lot of fun having a camera. I'll include pictures of paintball with my brother and dad, time with my grandparents (who lived in Morocco!), walking out to the Manitowoc lighthouse, and - wait for it - settlers. Many many games of settlers.
But now we leave in about 3 hours for the airport to slug it out with British Air on the way home. Most of you know, but Alison lost her bag on the way here. To put it more bluntly - British Air lost her bag in Terminal 5, or as we like to call it, "The Black Hole of Doom." (we are supposed to get a reimbursement check, by the way, but it hasn't come yet). It does make me a little nervous, as we have four checked bags this time, instead of 2, one of them being my guitar and brand spanking new industrial strength guitar case (and guitar). Not only that, but we have a plethora of baby gifts from Alison's baby shower that I'm not too interested in loosing.
We got some great gifts, and of course, some of the favorites include the handmade gifts such as a blanket and painting for the baby's wall. We are even getting the first edition of a children's book to be published by one of our friends - "10 trolls you should know" - which I am really excited to see (its not quite done yet). All that to say - please pray hard that British Air does not lose one of our bags. We have gotten smarter and spread out all of our belongings among each bag, so if one bag gets lost, there isn't one person who loses ALL of their belongings.
Anyway, we are ready to be back in Bahrain and leave the suitcases behind. We get back on Friday night and we have a few days until we start work. Actually, due to a government mandated delay due to the swine flu, Alison may have a few weeks extra off! But we will be spending that time getting things around our apartment ready for baby when he/she arrives. Putting up cribs, moving furniture, baby-proofing our house, etc.
And for those of you wanting to know whether he/she is a he or a she - we will find out on Aug 23rd! Or 21st. I'm not sure which. Alison has a doctor's appointment, and we'll find out in the ultrasound. However, our name will be kept mum until our little buddy actually joins us in the post-womb world.
But now we leave in about 3 hours for the airport to slug it out with British Air on the way home. Most of you know, but Alison lost her bag on the way here. To put it more bluntly - British Air lost her bag in Terminal 5, or as we like to call it, "The Black Hole of Doom." (we are supposed to get a reimbursement check, by the way, but it hasn't come yet). It does make me a little nervous, as we have four checked bags this time, instead of 2, one of them being my guitar and brand spanking new industrial strength guitar case (and guitar). Not only that, but we have a plethora of baby gifts from Alison's baby shower that I'm not too interested in loosing.
We got some great gifts, and of course, some of the favorites include the handmade gifts such as a blanket and painting for the baby's wall. We are even getting the first edition of a children's book to be published by one of our friends - "10 trolls you should know" - which I am really excited to see (its not quite done yet). All that to say - please pray hard that British Air does not lose one of our bags. We have gotten smarter and spread out all of our belongings among each bag, so if one bag gets lost, there isn't one person who loses ALL of their belongings.
Anyway, we are ready to be back in Bahrain and leave the suitcases behind. We get back on Friday night and we have a few days until we start work. Actually, due to a government mandated delay due to the swine flu, Alison may have a few weeks extra off! But we will be spending that time getting things around our apartment ready for baby when he/she arrives. Putting up cribs, moving furniture, baby-proofing our house, etc.
And for those of you wanting to know whether he/she is a he or a she - we will find out on Aug 23rd! Or 21st. I'm not sure which. Alison has a doctor's appointment, and we'll find out in the ultrasound. However, our name will be kept mum until our little buddy actually joins us in the post-womb world.
