Baby Showers

So last month, a friend of mine threw a baby shower for me.  There also happens to be two other women who are expecting babies within 6 weeks after I'm due (Aug 9th).  One was going to throw a shower for the other and I was going to throw one for the first, but we were running out of time before the mass exodus from our ward at church during the summer.  And it was hard to find three separate times for three separate baby showers. :)  So the friend who was planning mine just said we should do them all together for easy for everyone.  We all agreed.  Then there's only one shower and one night during the busy end of the school year time that the women have to/want to go out.  I didn't mind and had a wonderful time.

When asked what I needed, I said I needed the big things, like a car seat and a mattress for the crib, and things like that. So people were very generous and instead of buying something many just donated to the "big items" fund.  I was the only one having a gender I already had.  So I didn't need many clothes.  But baby girl stay will have a few adorable outfits of her own to wear.  I can't wait to see her in them.

The next day, Steve and I went and bought a car seat.  We wanted one that would also snap into the stroller that have, so we went to the one store that we knew sold Graco brand seats.  They had two colors of the same kind of seat to choose from, cream or fire engine red.  We chose cream.  It sure makes buying things easier when you only have one choice to make, which color do you want.

Thanks to everyone involved in a wonderful shower and helping us get ready for another baby. 

About a week and a half later I had another shower with some women in my compound and the Mom's of a few of the girls I watch. We had a lovely time with a really good brunch.  The women all chipped in together and got a glider rocking chair.  It is so nice to sit in. :)  

It is so nice to be surrounded by so many people who are supporting us in this crazy adventure of having a baby in the middle east.  

Baby Sea Turtles

One day on the last week of work for Steve, he texted me while he was at work to see if I wanted to go with the kids after work to see baby sea turtles hatch. The school nurse was taking a group to the site and we could join if we wanted. I said yes, of course! I mean, how often is it you get the opportunity to help a baby turtle get to the water? We had heard about this last year, but didn't know where to go and didn't make much of an effort to find out.  But since the opportunity presented itself, we jumped at the chance.  I got his message at 2:15, and we were leaving at 4.  So I quickly packed dinner and got our beach bag ready.

 It was an hour drive and thankfully the kids both slept on the way there as it was a school night.  When we got to the beach, we had to walk for about 10 minutes to get to the site.  The Ministry of the Environment, or whoever is over wildlife, put up a fence so that people wont drive farther down the beach and disturb the turtles. The beach is a good one to go to.  Then we sat down and ate dinner and played in the water and sand until the ministry people came.


When the workers see a mother turtle lay eggs, or evidence that eggs have been laid, they dig them up and move them to another fenced area to protect them.  Then when it's time for them to hatch, they go there and check the sand on top, if the sand looks like it's been disturbed, then they will dig up the sand with their hands and pull out the baby turtles that have hatched.  We got to watch this part from outside the chain link fence.
Beyond this fence is where the eggs are relocated to.

After recording them and such they put each turtle in an open container.  There were enough kids that two kids got to take one container close to the water.  The workers had drawn a line in the sand a few feet from the water and made sure that the sand was smooth.  We couldn't step past the line.  The kids walked with the container between them to the line, and then tipped it gently to let the turtle walk out. The turtles have to walk to the water so that they can find their way back to the beach next year.  Big E got to hold a container.  He named his turtle Slowpoke  because his was the slowest getting to the water.  He took lots of breaks.  It was so fun to see.  Big E was excited about it and Miss A loved the water and sand.

Here are the workers putting all the baby turtles in the styrofoam container.

Big E waiting at the line.  Miss A wasn't as into releasing the turtles and wouldn't look at the camera.

Birthday Party

So Big E was invited by a classmate to his birthday party last night.  It's the first party invitation from school that he has ever gotten.  I'm sure you're wondering why this is blog post worthy,  so let me tell you.  Big E's friend, T, happens to be Qatari.  They tend to do things a bit more lavishly than we do.  And birthday parties are no exception.

The party was held in a private party room above an indoor amusement park.  (Almost all the malls have small amusement parks inside with rides and some even have small roller coasters.)  There were tables and chairs for the adults to sit at and smaller chairs up front for the kids.  In front of the little chairs was a small stage. Most of the seating was facing the stage.

On the invitation the party was supposed to go from 7-9pm.  But we don't live in a very punctual society here, and so it wasn't really a surprise that the party didn't actually start until 7:45.  Fortunately we didnt' arrive on time ourselves.  :)  The party felt more like it was an adult party tailored to kids, if that makes any sense.  When if finally started, 4 employees of the park (2 men and 2 women) got on the stage and did a few synchronized dance routines to songs like "Ice Ice Baby".  Really??  Of all the songs a boy turning 5 would want to listen to, that's one they choose?

The next act was called "The Dwarf Show".  I'm not making that up. And guess what. Two dwarfs came out and did some dance acting of a few songs.  That would never pass at home.  It reminded me of the old freak shows, except these performers weren't being mocked, but they were used for entertainment.  Big E didn't mention it.  I'm not sure he was aware that something was different about them.  Or that they were adults.

There were a few games like "Who can guess what T's favorite_______ is?" The winner got a prize.  Another game was finding hidden pictures that were taped to chairs or tables.  Winners also got a prize.  The third and final game involved the moms as well.  The first kid who could bring up the named item got a prize.  The items were a phone, red lipstick, a visa or mastercard, and baby shoes.  Big E was not interested in any of these and just sat by me most of the time.  The male workers had left after the synchronized dance routine, and the two female workers called all the children up to the stage to do the chicken dance and another dance reminiscent of the bunny hop.  The birthday boy didn't seem too excited about this, though he participated with the children.  Big E didn't want to go up.  I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to go up either.

The only time Big E went up was when they brought out the cake and sang happy birthday to T.  Big E was excited that the cake was an igloo with penguins.  Then food was brought to all the kids.  They had ordered Burger King chicken nuggets and fries and juice boxes for all the kids.  The moms had quite a selection.  Chicken and kebabs, and arabic bread (think pita), and tabbouleh, and a number of rice dishes.  During the shows arabic coffee (which is orange, by the way) and arabic sweets were passed around on trays.  I wish I could have tasted the sweets.  They looked intriguing, but I have gestational diabetes, and couldn't.  :(

By the time Big E had eaten the chicken nuggets and fries and a penguin from the cake (he doesn't seem to be a cake person, mostly just eats the frosting), it was 9 and he was sitting on my lap as I finished eating. Poor guy was so tired.  He gets up around 5:30 am to get ready for school, and so to stay up to 9pm is a very long day.  So he went up to get a party favor bag and wish the birthday boy a happy birthday and say thank you to his mom.

The gift bag contained marshmellows shish kabobs, oddly flavored popcorn, gum balls, a penguin on a stick, and bags and containers of smaller candies.  It also contained a mug that says "Guess who is 5, T!" with a penguin in the center.  The hostess also handed out cards with money on them to all the kids so that they could ride the rides downstairs.  I told big E that we could come back to ride them and he didnt' have any problem with that.  

Big E was the only blond haired kid there. And we were the only westerners there as well.  There are a few others in his class, but they didn't come. It was interesting to see that as soon as the male workers left the room, the women started to take off their abayas.  There was a wide variety of what was worn.  Some dressed up as if they were going out on the town, others were nice casual in jeans and a nice top.  It wouldn't be any different from what you'd see at home.  That was the first time I'd been somewhere with only Qatari women where they took off their abayas.

As we walked to the car, I mentioned to Big E that he shouldn't expect anything like that for his next birthday party.  We've already discussed that parties with friends are an every other year thing.  I can't even imagine out much was spent on this 5 year-old's birthday party that I'm not sure he fully enjoyed.  The kids just wandered about when the show wasn't on or they weren't eating.  I asked Big E if he liked it.  He said, "It was really loud".  He doesn't like loud music or loud speaking in a microphone. So I wasn't surprised that that was what he mentioned.

It was a very different experience and I'm glad we went for that, but I don't need to do it again. 

Spain Trip- Getting to Seville

Rachel writing:

Written 4/4/2014
Few trips go without a hiccup, right? We've seemed to have good luck with our travels since moving to Qatar, especially when I flew by myself with both kids. Today we left for Madrid. Well, I guess it's yesterday now. Time kind of suspends when you travel long distances.

Last week we had to get new Resident ID Cards for Qatar. When you get to the airport, they take a scan of your eyes. The new card has that scan on file. We also had the option of E-Gate, which will let you skip over the long line waiting for passport control and go through a shorter line. We decided to pay for it, though we didn't really discuss it. Not wise, but it was done. Then we heard conflicting reports of whether we can use it with children. We never travel without children. So it would be a waste. But 4 families asked about it when they got their new card and were assured that yes, you can use it with children. But, here, we all know it depends on who you're talking to. Person A will yes, but Person B at the counter won't know what you're talking about.

When we saw the line at the Doha airport to get through passport control, Steve asked a lady if we can use E-Gate with children. She went to ask and said yes. The line was longer than I have ever seen in my whole time traveling, which isn't nearly like some people. It weaved through the dividers they have and out the door and around the room where the check-in counters are. I'm so glad it worked. So much less stress, even though we stood and waited at the gate, which boarded late, I didn't have to worry about getting there in time.

Our flight out of Doha was a bit late, but we didnt' really care as we had a 6 hour layover- yuck. But it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. The airline we flew with to Abu Dhabi gate checks the stroller and doesn't give is back to you when you land. Instead they provide their own strollers for you to borrow. I'm not really a fan of this, but today, I mean last night, it worked out well. The strollers laid back and so both kids fell asleep since it was 8 pm by the time we got to Abu Dhabi and later by the time they fell asleep.

This is where the hiccups start. On our flight out of Abu Dhabi, the crew held the plane for some transfer passengers that came in late, so we look off late. It was nice for those people, but bad for us. We didn't have a long layover in Rome. (Yes we had two layovers over night with kids. We are that crazy.) The kids slept for most of the 6 hour flight. They woke up and watched frozen on the iPad and ate breakfast that was given to us. Then we hit some unfortunate turbulence. Breakfast was cleaned up just as the crew had to prepare for landing, and that is when the turbulence started. Miss A's stomach did not take well to the combination. She kept saying that her mouth hurt. I couldn't think of anything to help her with on that one and we were preparing to land. So we couldn't get up. Miss A also wouldn't stay in her seat. So Steve took her and put her in his lap. That's when she got sick. Mostly on herself, thankfully for Steve. Being the prepared Mom that I try to be, I pulled out bags and wipes and extra clothes and helped Steve and Miss A clean up. Just as we thought she was settled and okay (and in clean clothes...I only brought one set, so I guess not as prepared as I could have been) she throws up again. So she is now wearing Big E's spare shirt, which isn't as big on her as I thought it would be.

As we rush off the plane we have to find a counter to print boarding passes because the lady in Doha said she couldn't do it from there. By the time we get the tickets and run all the way to the counter they told us to go to, we had missed the flight. (I'm sure we were a sight. I'm not dressed the most fashionably with a green dress and tennis shoes and I'm pregnant while running holding Big E's hand trying to keep up with Steve who is holding Miss A.) The lady said one, the gate we were sent to went to Barcelona rather than Madrid and the flight to Madrid left 30 minutes ago. They wouldn't hold it for us, even though that is the exact reason we were late. It was even the same airline. Grrr. The next flight to Madrid was 5 hours later. So we have another, unexpected, layover with not enough time to see Rome. Steve suggested it, but I would feel too stressed to try to get around and then have to be back 2-3 hours before departure.

So I took some time to wash out Miss A's clothes as best I could in the bathroom sink. Wet for a while is better than smoldering in throw-up. I hope. I knew I wouldn't be able to stand the smell, through the bag seeping into my back pack. I did get some strange looks. I'd like to see what they'd do in my situation.

Hopefully once we get to Madrid, things will go a bit smoother. We'll have to adjust our plans a bit to see some things we planed on seeing once we got there and now wont' get there in time. But it should work out.

Here's to waiting in Rome for another 4 1/2 hours.

Steve writing:
Once we got to Madrid, we were a little worried that we'd have trouble finding our luggage given all the confusion about our flights. However, we were some of the first people to get ours at the carousel, and all of it was there! So next we went to look for the rental car place in the airport. We found it pretty quickly, but because it was a Friday evening, this branch was closed. It had a sign saying we'd have to walk to one of the other terminals. No problem, right? Except at the Madrid Barajas airport, getting to the other terminals takes about twenty minutes of circumnavigating half the airport, plus going up and down escalators a couple of times. Amelia was starting to lose patience and throw fits, but eventually fell asleep. As we walked, we realized we'd never gone through any sort of passport control when we arrived, so we also worried that we'd missed something.

Finally we found the open branch and asked the guy at the desk about our passports. He said because we'd stopped through Rome and gotten them stamped there, the Schengen treaty then allowed us to visit any country party to the treaty without getting stamped again. So that was a relief. We got a brand-new, never-been-rented VW Tuaron as our rental vehicle and found it easily, then packed everything up and headed for Seville. Amelia woke up even grouchier and screamed for the entire time we were trying to navigate out of Madrid, which is a nerve-wracking enough experience when you're in a rental car and have no idea where you're going except a semi-reliable set of written instructions from Google Maps. She finally calmed down after we distracted her with the iPad. We worried that it would seem like rewarding her behavior, but I think she was so irrational and incoherent at that point that she didn't make any such connection. Elliott, on the other hand, was a champ through everything from the time we left Doha, and only started losing patience with Amelia's screaming about the same time I did. So we thanked him many times for doing such a good job.

Driving was fine once we got going, though the 120 kph speed limit kind of surprised me. I soon learned that was about as negotiable as in the US as people kept passing me, so I joined the flow of traffic and went a little faster. We stopped once for dinner at a little cafe truck stop on the side of the road, conveniently located exactly where Elliott announced he REALLY NEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM RIGHT NOW!!!!! We had some salchichas frescas on bread and tortillas patatas, which turned out not to be potato-based flat tortillas as we thought, but more like an omelette with potatoes and cheese in it. Delicious!

We stopped next for a leg stretch at a truck-stop I'd visited on my last trip with the students I chaperoned, but it was closed. So then we drove on, skipping Cordoba for now because it was so late, and hoping we'd get to Seville by 11 since we'd told our host to expect us after 10.
We reached Seville at about 11:10 PM, then followed the instructions on our Google Maps directions carefully. Upon entering the old city, we promptly got lost. And after more than two hours of squeezing down impossibly tight one-way streets, retracing our route, calling our host with no response, and having the kids alternately wake up screaming and crying, I begged the guys closing down a restaurant cafe to please call her for us using their local phone. They kindly obliged and she came to meet me there, just a three-minute walk from her apartment. She was a little old lady a little shorter than Rachel, and as sweet as could be, but she didn't speak a word of English, so Rachel had to do all the talking. Apparently, she'd delayed her departure to see her ailing sister in Madrid because we were so late. She showed us to her tiny apartment, got us situated, then said she'd be just reading inside the front door until 5:30 or so when she'd go to the train station for a later train. We felt awful for inconveniencing her, but she never gave the slightest sign of annoyance. We felt very obliged to her.





However, I also felt kind of annoyed with her because the address she'd given us was nowhere near her apartment. It wasn't even on the same street. While we'd been trying to trace a 15-turn tortuous route through old Seville, she ended up having us park in an incredibly tight parallel parking space just off a main road on the edge of the old city, and walking three minute through narrow walking-only alleys to her place. We could have been there two hours earlier if we'd known. Anyway, done was done, and we were there.

Scholastic: Qatar Edition

So I was surprised to open E's backpack one day and find a scholastic book order form.  I have many memories of getting those at school and looking through them and wanting to get books from Scholastic.  It always seemed to exciting, even though I almost never got to order from it.

Anyway, the Qatar edition is a bit different.

Notice anything odd?  Yes, that is tape on it.  The school had the "helpers"  (the helpers are Filipino ladies who help in the class rooms and clean the school) tape over any book that had a pig in it, was about Easter, or suggested teen romance (though that one actually might be a good thing...).  Oddly enough, Steve said that at the school he works at, they had the same order form, and no one had taped over it.  So odd.

Fridays

(I started this post on Friday, Feb 7.  But didn't get a chance to finish it as someone called on Skype.  But this all happened this past Friday.)

I feel that I should write down what happens in Primary almost every Friday. (fyi Primary is the children's organization at church for kids age 18 months -11 years.) This Friday was crazier than normal, but almost every Friday there is something that is not running smoothly.  One week two teachers called up sick Friday morning, so the other counselor and I quickly prepared lessons and taught. I am not complaining at all.  But it does keep us on our toes. We never know what Friday will bring.

I actually love being in the Primary.  The kids say the funniest (and smartest) things.  For example today the other counselor was teaching the lesson to the younger group (ages 3-6 going on 7).  She was teaching about the Plan of Salvation, where we lived with Heavenly Father before coming to earth, we came to earth to get bodies.  She asked the group what we called the step after mortal life (she was looking for the spirit world where we wait for Resurrection). One boy called out "For Heaven's Sake!" :)  All the adults got a good chuckle out of that one.

(For those who don't know how primary is set up, I'll explain.  There are two groups, junior Primary and Senior Primary.  Junior is for kids 3-7 and Senior is for 7 turning 8 this year - 11.  The Junior primary meets as one group, sitting in individual classes for the first block.  We have singing time where they learn songs.  We have a wonderful music leader.  After singing there is a lesson given by on of the presidency members (explained below).  After the lesson the kids have a break to use the restroom and get a drink of water.  They younger kids then go to class, separated by age, for about 40 min.  Then the Senior Primary comes in and we do it all over again. While the Junior primary is in the primary room doing singing time and lesson, the Senior Primary is in individual classes for lessons.)

I am a counselor in the Primary Presidency (there is a president, 2 counselors, and a secretary). So I see everything that goes on behind the scenes. Coming to church we never know what is going to happen. This Friday was no exception.  Two teachers were out of town traveling during the break.  They had both found subs, thankfully, for their classes.  But one sub fell sick Thursday evening and posted on the women's group's facebook page if anyone could take the class.  No one responded.  Friday morning I get a text from the President saying that she is not feeling well and won't be able to come, and by the way, one of the nursery (for children ages 18 mon to the January after they turn 3) teachers wasn't going to be there.  (We've had lots of trouble filling in the spots for nursery.  So this isn't anything new.)

Steve had a meeting at the church at 7:30 am.  Church doesn't start until 9am.  So he leaves the meeting in time to come back to get us and get to church on time.  We got there just after it started and I knew that I had to find someone to take the class that had the sub fall sick. But I didn't have time to do it before church started.  So as soon as the first meeting (we call it Sacrament Meeting as that is when we take the bread and water of the sacrament to renew covenants we've made) ended, I got up and asked the girl that is called as a Primary Substitute if she could cover the class.  She couldn't as she was leaving right then.  During Sacrament meeting I noticed that our pianist is not sitting by her husband.  So after talking with the first girl, I saw a friend who fills in for piano frequently.  I asked her if our pianist had contacted her about playing.  She said no, but that she would play today.  She is such a life saver.

As I was scouting the crowd for someone to sub, Steve told me the room that we use for the nursery was not available.  There was a board bolted to the doorway of the Sacrament meeting room that led to the nursery room.  I was also told that the door to the nursery room was locked.  Lovely. Both of the small plastic tables were in that room, the carpet squares for the kids to sit on for lessons and songs, and the cabinet of toys were still in that room.  Thankfully there is another room, but it's smaller and with 9 small kids, some of whom have not adjusted to being in nursery yet, and 3 adults, it's a bit of a squeeze. There are thankfully toys in that room, but there was no where for the kids to sit and eat snacks since both tables were locked away.  No one knew this was going to happen.  Not even the leader of the congregation that was there that day.  Thankfully I didnt' have to find anyone to cover for the absent nursery teacher as there was enough adults.

We meet in a villa rather than a normal church building.  After finding a wonderful sister to fill in for the class that had a sub fall sick, I made it up stairs to the landing where the kids were being led in wiggle releasing activities by the other counselor.  I dropped my bags off in the Primary room and helped the kids make the transition into the primary room.

I told the nursery teachers that I would check on them after getting the Junior Primary into the primary room.  As I left the primary room, a teacher and the congregational leader came up to me.  Two kids who were supposed to be in the primary room were not. So after asking them to go to the room, the teacher asked were a younger kid went.  He was supposed to be in the nursery room, but had somehow wandered into his class room.  He also told me that the class across the hall from him didn't have a teacher.  I knew that the teachers were going out of town, but when we did a training for all the teachers at the beginning of the year, we asked the teachers to find their own subs when they are unable to teach their class.  So either the sub they asked didn't show up, or they assumed that by telling the presidency that they would be gone, their job was done.  Really??? So the congregational leader sat in the class room while I went down to the adult Sunday School (actually it's Friday school here :) ) to scout out someone to teach the class.  I found the husband of the primary president and asked him if he could teach the class.  He was willing.  I think he had the harder job than the other person I asked.  He didn't get any time to at least read the lesson.  I handed him a manual and told him the lesson number they were on and then it was all his.  At least the first person I asked to sub had time to read the lesson as that class had group time first, so she could read the lesson while they sang songs.  I then went down to check on the nursery. Things were going as well as expected.  A new kid (he just turned 18 months not long ago) was crying and the other kids were oblivious and playing happily.

I had a minute then to sit down and eat a snack.  I listen to the lesson the other counselor gives and then I head out with the Sunbeams ( the 3 year -olds, who will be turning 4 this year). Three weeks ago their teacher poked her head in the primary room and with a frazzled look asked for some help. I went in and all the kids were bouncing off the walls.  She is an elementary teacher and this class was a huge challenge for her.  So I've been sitting in with them to help with crowd control.  They've made vast improvements with a sticker chart and lots of positive reinforcement.  She is doing a wonderful job with these kids who for the most part are not in school yet. But the whole of the last 45 minutes of church I was in that class, which was not hectic for once.

After class I sorted out a few last things, like trying to find out who to talk to about getting the things out of the closed nursery room (the answer: no one knows), I breathed a sigh of relief.  Friday was over with and was only 12:15 pm.

Christmas

Big E and Miss A loved counting down to Christmas day.  It went something like this, "Sunday, Monday, Christmas Eve, Christmas!" Having Mom and Dad here made the day much more special.  And Steve went to great lengths to have things under the tree that I didn't know about.  Last year I knew what everything under the tree was, except maybe one thing. So it really took the excitement out of it. But we had a magical day.  Big E showed interest in Santa and who he "is" and what he does.  So we did Santa this year.  We set out pumpkin roll and egg nog for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.

Steve woke up before everyone and had a surprise breakfast waiting for everyone, fruit, nuts and juice. I actually woke up before the kids and had to wait for them to wake up.  I'm not sure that's going to happen again any time too soon. :)

We didn't open presents right away.  We all got to "open" our stockings and the kids played with the cars and trinkets that were in them.  Both of the kids got chocolate reindeer and a santa.  Miss A decided to unwrap all of her reindeer at once.

But we had to wait until 7 am to call my sister who is serving a mission in Japan and we didn't want to interrupt the present opening for the kids.  So we covered "Santa's" gifts (which traditionally in my house were almost never wrapped) with a sheet and waited until after the phone call.  It was great to be able to be in on the conversation.  She is doing great. Here we are talking to Jessica via Skype, and no, it was not a video call. :(

After talking to my sister, we then opened presents. Big E got a new bike and helmet, a noisy dump truck, and some books.



Miss A got a stroller for her doll (I frequently have to reminder her that it is for her doll and not for her to sit in.  It's just the right size for her.), a shopping basket full of play food, and an old school play stove.

It was fun to watch them open the gifts. Miss A loved to crawl under the tree to get the gifts. She and Big E would hand them out to everyone.

After Christmas we went to the Souq.  Mom loved it.  She found a beautiful necklace and vases.  Dad found a cool looking knife that didn't have a real blade. :/ But it still looks cool.
We also had lunch at the Souq.





We toured Fanar, which is a mosque that is open to the public to come and have a tour and learn more about Islam.  Mom and I had to wear the Abaya to go in.



We went to the Museum of Islamic Art.  Steve took the kids to the park that is near there while I took Mom and Dad in.  They only saw two floors of the 3 or 4.  You'd need a whole day to see everything. Or to walk through faster.

We also went to the singing sand dunes with some friends from the ward.  We had fun making the dune hum and playing in the sand.  We had a picnic lunch on the dune and then went home.

The break went by way to fast. I can't believe that Mom and Dad have been home for over a month now.  But that does mean that next Christmas is that much closer.  This year for Christmas, we will be in the States, spending one week with the Stay side of the family and another week with my side.  I can't wait. :)